Revelry
by Eastendersfan444
Summary: Lauren returns to Walford after rehab. What happens next? Read on to find out...
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello Everyone. So after a few months of waiting I present my new story called Revelry. **

**I hope that you all like it. You all know what to do, leave me a review and let me know what you think. **

**This story is dedicated to the amazingly brilliant and wonderfully talented fellow writer 74 CrazyChick, whom, without her help and her pep talks this story would be sitting on my laptop unfinished or would have been deleted. She has had the laborious task of reading every single chapter through more than once, being my editor and proof reader. She has been my sounding board who I have bounced ideas off, and she has bounced ideas back. **

**So a HUGE thank you 74 Crazychick for ALL your help, for reading through all the chapters, for telling me where I had made mistakes, repeated myself, got confused with the character names, and made some brilliant suggestions. Thank you for being my writing buddy and my bestie. XXXX**

_Kings of Leon - Revelry_

_"I get lost in the night, so high don't wanna come down, to face the loss of the good thing I have found, even though it was me who drove us right into the ground, see the time we shared it was precious to me, but all the while I was dreamin of revelry…" _

**Chapter One.**

Lauren closed her eyes as her dad walked out of the house after making her promise not to leave. She'd only been back in Walford for 24 hours, she'd been released from the rehab Centre her mother had taken her to in Devon, after her 8 week stint, and she was feeling like she had traded one prison for another.

Okay, so rehab wasn't exactly prison, because when she was there, she was allowed outside, she wasn't allowed off the grounds, but they had over 4 acres of gardens she found she could walk around, run around, sit and draw or simply just to sit and think in. The last few days that she had been there she had spent a lot of time sitting and thinking. Her mum had wanted her to stay in Devon with her, but Lauren wanted….No, she needed to go back to Walford, to Albert Square, to Joey. Although she wasn't sure there was a Joey to go back to. He hadn't contacted her once since she had left Walford in the dead of night in a black taxi cab. Leaving under the cover of darkness made her feel like she was being treated like a dirty little secret.

Perhaps she was. That would explain a few things. The fact that not one of her friends had tried to contact her. That's assuming they were still her friends after everything that'd happened in the few months leading up to her being admitted to rehab. She was doubtful they were. The only people she had spoken to was Max, Abi and her mother, her Nan and Oscar.

She had been nervous about going back and had almost changed her mind several times on her journey back to London, but she'd replayed the conversation she'd with her counsellor over and over in her head, and he'd told her it would be one of the steps to her recovery, to make amends, to apologise to the ones she'd hurt. She'd already apologised to her parents, to Abi, to Oscar and to her Nan, but she knew she had more apologies to make. She only hoped they would let her. She knew some may not be as forgiving as her family were, but she knew she had to try to convince them she was sorry for what had happened and she was getting better.

Her counsellor had told her it wouldn't be easy, that people might not want to listen, might not want to believe her, but she had to do everything in her power to make them listen. And that was what she intended to do. Her mother had offered to come back with her but Lauren had firmly told her while she appreciated the gesture this was something she needed to do by herself. Tanya had nodded and smiled and told Lauren she knew it was and had told her she was so proud of her and she loved her so much. She also told her if she changed her mind about going back to Walford, she would always have a home with her and Oscar in Devon, where she could have a fresh start, make new friends and make a new life for herself. But Lauren was determined she was going back to Walford. They had a very emotional and tearful goodbye. Lauren had valued the time with her mother, at first she had been angry with her mother for planning to take her to rehab behind her back. It had taken another very emotional and tearful conversation with her dad to make her finally admit to him and to herself that she needed help and her mother was doing the right thing, and she had agreed to go to Devon, to rehab, to get better. There was no time to say goodbye to anyone. By anyone she meant Joey. Her dad had helped her pack and they had gone downstairs and Lauren had told her mother and her family she was ready to go to rehab.

Now that Lauren was back in Walford, back on the square, she was wondering if she had made the right decision. Perhaps her mother was right, perhaps she did need to have a clean break; a fresh start. Now she was back she was nervous. Nervous her friends wouldn't give her the time of day, anxious that Joey wouldn't want to see her, she had done a lot of damage, she knew that and she had a lot to make up for.

She remembered her father's last words to her as he left the house after telling her he didn't want her to leave it.

'I'm trusting you Lauren' he told her as he closed the door.

She took a deep breath and she walked to the hallway. She picked up her keys and her phone and sighed, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. She stared at herself. Her mum had helped her strip the black dye out of her hair, and now her hair was almost back to its natural colour, a soft golden brown, she had also caught the sun in Devon, with the amount of time she had spent outside and her skin now had a healthy glow, her makeup was soft, natural and she had to admit she looked good, she looked better, she felt better. She took a deep breath, blowing the air through her lips slowly before she let herself out of the house. Her first stop was Ian Beale.

She found him in the restaurant. He looked up from behind the bar as he saw her, she saw surprise cross his face and she licked her lips.

'Before you start yelling at me and telling me to leave …I just wanted to say I'm very sorry for the way I behaved, the damage and embarrassment I caused you' she told him 'You gave me a chance when no one else would and I threw it back in your face…more than once' she said and licking her lips again 'thank you for giving me a chance, I'm sorry that I let myself down, my parents down and you down' she turned to go.

'Lauren?' he called her back and she closed her eyes and turned to look at him, waiting for the anger and the shouting. But Ian surprised her.

'Thank you' he told her kindly. 'You look better than you did the last time I saw you'

She nodded 'I feel ….better' she said with a slight frown.

'That couldn't have been easy for you to do' he said to her, she shook her head.

'No it wasn't, but I meant every word' she told him sincerely.

'I know' he nodded 'and it's appreciated' he replied with a smile 'who else have you seen?'

'You're the first' she replied softly 'My counsellor said to start with the people that you hurt the least and build up to the ones that you hurt the most' she told him 'I know I don't have the right to ask you for any favours but….'

'I haven't seen you.' Ian said to her with a small smile 'good luck with the rest of your apologies' he said 'It's good to see you back Lauren'

'Thank you' she said 'well I should go'

'And thank you for stopping by, it means a lot' he said to her, she smiled and him and nodded. She walked out of the restaurant.

One down.

Many more to go.

Her next stop and probably her biggest challenge yet.

Alfie Moon and the Queen Vic.

**AN: So this is the first chapter of my new story. Lauren is back from rehab and is working through the 12 steps of recovery, making amends. Her first apology was to Ian Beale and it went well, how do you think Alfie is going to react? How about Lucy, Whitney and Joey? And how is Max going to react when he finds out that she broke his trust? Do you want more tonight? You know what to do...**

**Let me know what you all think. **

**R&R as always.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two.**

Lauren crossed the square and she found herself outside the pub. She stared at the Queen Vic. This was going to be hard. The craving to have a drink hadn't gone away. Not completely. It was still there, like a little nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her one drink would make her feel better, but she also knew one more drink could kill her. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside, looking around at the familiar faces in the pub. Luckily there was no Joey, Whitney, Lucy or Tyler. Being back in the Vic wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, she had built it up to be a bigger deal in her head that it actually was. She didn't have the urge to drink, she didn't want to drink, and that was half of the battle, feeling triumphant and a little braver she walked up to the bar and Alfie turned to serve her.

'Lauren' he said and she watched as a smile spread across his face

'Hi' she told him 'I'm not here to drink' she said to him 'I just came to apologise for the…'

'No apology needed darling' he shook his head softly 'I understand'

'Please I need to …I need to say that I'm sorry'

'Apology accepted' he said to her with a smile.

'Thank you' she smiled back at him 'Can I ask you not to tell anyone I'm back? I'm kind of working my way through apologies and I need to do them on my own terms, in my own time?'

'I won't say a word' he told her 'I am glad you're looking so well' he told her.

'Me too' she replied, she turned and walked out of the pub and saw Lucy walk into Janine's property offices. She thought about following her in but changed her mind and went to see Fatboy and then Poppy.

Fats and Poppy were very understanding and forgiving, much like Lauren had thought they would be, she was pleased she had crossed those two off her list. She'd also made arrangements with Poppy to have a girl's night in pampering session at her house tomorrow night. Her next stop was Tyler, so she went in search of him. She saw him go into the café and she followed.

A quick glance around made Lauren feel relieved there was no one else there she didn't yet want to run into. She paid for a coffee to take out and took it over to the table, pulling out the chair and sitting down.

'Hi Tyler' she said softly.

'Lauren! I didn't know that you were back' he said in surprise.

'Yeah I only got back yesterday' she told him softly 'I'm working my way through apologies and things' she said with a small smile.

'You've got nothing to apologise to me for' he told her softly 'you were in a bad place and we should've helped you instead of pushing you away. We only made things worse for you, we should be apologising to you'

'So does that mean that we are okay?' Lauren asked him. 'Me kissing you didn't ruin things with you and Whit?'

'No, nothing got ruined and yes we're good. So how are you?' he asked her 'You look good' he added with a smile. 'No that's a lie, you look great'

She smiled and blushed a little, not used to the compliment, usually people were telling her that she looked awful, before rehab anyway, 'Thanks, I'm doing okay' she nodded 'A little worried about how people would react when I came back….' She trailed off with a shrug 'I've spoken to Ian and Alfie. Fats and Poppy and now you' she told him 'My next stop is Whitney, then Lucy and then Joey…..maybe. So what's been going on here?' she asked him softly 'You and Whit are still together?'

'Yes we are, still planning the wedding' he told her nodding his head 'Whitney's got a new job at the school, as a teaching assistant, she's doing quite well for herself' he told her with a proud smile. He licked his lips and looked down 'Lucy told us what she did' he said looking up at her.

'What do you mean?' Lauren frowned at him.

'She told us that she spiked your drink that night, the night Joey broke up with you'

'Oh that' Lauren said and she looked down.

'Joey was pretty upset with her' Tyler said 'He felt terrible about how things ended between the two of you'

'It was bound to happen' Lauren said 'I pressed the self-destruct button, didn't I, hey?' she said shrugging 'so is he still with Lucy?' she tried to sound casual but failed miserably.

'It's hard to tell who he's with nowadays' Tyler said 'but I don't think he's with Lucy not anymore anyway' he told her, her eyes flicked down to hide the hurt she felt at that revelation.

Lauren felt her heart clench, so the reason Joey hadn't contacted her was because he'd moved on. Well she knew this was a possibility, she'd hoped deep down it wouldn't happen, that he would be waiting for her, missing her just as she'd missed him, clinging onto the hope of her coming back just as she'd clung onto him throughout rehab. If she was honest with herself he was the main reason that she came back. Lauren took a breath, 'I'm glad you and Whitney are okay' she told him 'do you know where she is now?' she asked him.

He looked at his watch 'She's probably at work, she won't be home until school ends' he told her.

Lauren nodded 'Okay thanks, well I'd better go, I'd, um, I would appreciate if you didn't say anything about me being back yet….'

'Okay' he nodded and he looked at her 'are you okay?'

'Yeah I'm fine' she nodded 'I'm glad we're okay' she said with a smile as she got up 'I'll see you around?' she left her coffee on the table.

'Yeah you will' he nodded with a grin.

He watched her leave and wondered if he shouldn't have said anything about Joey, the news that he hadn't exactly been pining away for her didn't look as though it had gone down too well, Tyler felt bad for telling her.

Lauren walked through the square, she knew she had 3 more people left to see, Whitney, Lucy and Joey, but right now she felt as though she'd done enough. And the news Tyler had given her about Joey had hurt. So she decided she would leave seeing the three others until tomorrow. She walked back to the house and let herself in.

'Hello?' she called out. The house was empty. Relief flowed through her that she wouldn't have to explain to her dad why she'd left the house after promising she wouldn't. She walked into the kitchen and made herself a coffee. She carried it through to the lounge and sat down on the sofa with a sigh, flicking on the TV but not really watching it.

That night after dinner, she excused herself and went to bed. She didn't sleep well that night, she was thinking about how her conversation with Joey would go, or if she would even have one with him. She wasn't sure what to do. She knew she'd hurt him; that she had done some terrible things to him, to their relationship, she knew she owed him a huge apology, but she wasn't sure she could face him. Back in rehab she had planned what she would say to him, of course when she ran through the scenario in her head, Joey always forgave her, told her he missed her and he loved her and he would take her in his arms and he would kiss her, but deep down Lauren knew things weren't going to turn out that way. Life didn't turn out that way. Not for her. She was a Branning, and they didn't get their happy ever after.

**AN: So Max didn't even know that she left the house! The apologies with Alfie, Poppy and Fats and Tyler went well and Lauren was feeling good about herself until Tyler dropped the tiny bombshell that Joey hadn't been pining around after her, like she had him. So does that mean she won't see him to apologise? Her whole plan was to get back with Joey and stay in Walford, now that he's seeing other people will her plans change? Thank you for all your reviews so far! Guest reviewers I can't reply to you personally but your reviews are appreciated. Hi C! Glad you like Revelry! **

**R&R as always**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three. **

After a restless night's sleep, she got up early the next morning and cooked breakfast for the family. They were all surprised to see her up (usually she was in bed until after lunchtime, sleeping off her latest drinking binge) as well as the breakfast spread that she had made for them, but they sat down and ate it.

'So what are your plans for today?' Max asked her.

'I have a few people to see' she said to him 'and I have my first counselling session this morning' she told him 'and Poppy is coming over tonight for a girly pampering session, my nails need doing' she said showing her dad her perfectly manicured hand.

'Yeah?' Max asked her.

'Yeah' Lauren nodded 'I may not have had a drink for just over 60 days but that doesn't mean that I am cured, there's still a lot of things that I need to work through, I have to work out a routine for my days, keep myself busy' she said 'Find a job'

'Are you sure that's wise? Finding a job I mean?' Max asked her.

'Yes' she nodded 'I'm even thinking about going back to college, I have an appointment with the Dean on Friday morning to talk through what I need to do' she said to him.

'Well how about I drive you to the counselling session?' he asked her.

'It's okay, dad, I can walk it's not that far' she told him 'but thanks'

'I'm just worried about you being out on your own'

Lauren nodded 'And I get that dad, I do. But you need to try and trust me' she told him.

'I do trust you' he told her, surprised by what she'd just said.

No you don't, none of you do' Lauren said and she looked at her sister and her Nan 'and that's okay. I'm not sure that I would trust me either, if I was in your position. I broke your trust, I hurt you all and now I have to earn the trust back' she told him 'but I can't do that unless you let me' she told them as she finished her plate of food and she got up and took it into the kitchen. She started to wash up the pans and dishes that she had used. Abi came in with her plate.

'Can I help?' she asked her sister.

'No it's okay you should get to college' she said 'Oh I made you a packed lunch' she added with a frown 'it's in the fridge'

'Oh?' Abi couldn't hide her surprise.

'You don't have to eat it you can leave it and I will have it for lunch' she told her 'I…I didn't sleep very well and I was just up early and I needed to keep myself busy' Abi nodded.

I'll take it thanks' she opened the fridge and she looked down at the lunch box. 'So who do you plan to see today?' she asked her, 'Joey?' she said when Lauren didn't reply.

'Maybe. I don't know' she replied shrugging her shoulders.

'He's missed you. He asks me about you every time I see him' Abi told her.

'Does he?' Lauren asked hoping she sounded casual as she put a plate on the draining rack.

'You should go and see him Lauren' Abi said to her 'He'll be pleased to see you'

'I have a busy day planned so…we'll see' she told her sister and she turned to look at her 'Go, get to college' she told her. Abi grinned and then hugged her sister.

'It's good to have you back Lauren' she told her before hurrying out of the kitchen.

Lauren's first session with her new counsellor didn't go too well. Lauren wasn't sure that she liked her and because of that she barely talked, barely opened up about anything. She felt disappointed in herself and she'd left the sessions feeling useless and deflated. The counsellor had told her off for not going to an AA meeting and had given her a list of meetings in the area. Lauren hated the idea of AA meetings, sitting in a room with a bunch of complete strangers and telling them her self-pitying life story. As she continued to think she found that she had walked back to the square without even realising it. She saw Whitney go into her house and before Lauren realised what she was doing she'd knocked on the door and a few seconds later the door opened.

'Hi' Lauren said to her surprised friend.

'Lauren what are you doing here?' Whitney asked her.

'I came to talk if you have time?'

'Sure. Of course, come in' Whitney nodded and walked away from the door leaving it open and disappearing into the kitchen.

'O…kay' Lauren mumbled as she walked into the house, she closed the door behind her, but not before she caught sight of Joey walking through the square, her heart pounding in her chest at the sight of him, she forced herself to close the door and she went after Whitney.

'So you wanted to talk?' Whitney said without looking up from the newspaper.

'I came here to apologise to you' Lauren said from the doorway 'I know that I behaved terribly, kissing Tyler like that, and I'm sorry Whit. I know that I made a lot of mistakes, that I said and did some terrible things to you to everyone and I wanted to let you know that I am sorry'

'Yeah you did do a lot of terrible things, and not just to me'

'I know, I've already made some apologies' Lauren told her 'I have one or two more left to make'

'One or two?' Whitney looked at her.

'Lucy is next on my list' Lauren told her 'So I should probably go' she said

'How long are you back for?' Whitney asked looking up at her curiously.

'Don't know' Lauren replied truthfully, Whitney nodded.

'Maybe I'll see you around' Whitney said dismissively looking down at the paper again.

Lauren didn't reply, she just walked to the front door. She knew that seeing and talking to Whitney would be hard, clearly Whitney wasn't going to make this easy for her, Lauren had already known that everyone wasn't going to be as easy as the apologies that she had already made. She took a breath and headed for the café. She needed a minute to focus herself before she sought out Lucy. She sipped her coffee, hidden at the corner table. She stared out of the window, watching people go by. Michael and Alice, Janine and Danny…so he was back on the scene. She dimly recalled throwing a gin and tonic on him, in one of her less than fine moments during her brief stint of employment at Scarlett's. She also recalled how she had embarrassed Joey that night too. That was the night that her parents discovered the extent of her drinking when they had found the twenty empty bottles of vodka and wine under her bed. She sipped her coffee as she thought about things.

Half an hour passed and she heard a voice that she had been waiting to hear for the last 8 weeks. It was Joey. He ordered a coffee and a bacon roll to take away. Lauren sat still in her seat, her back straight, she was holding her breath. She wanted to peek around the corner, to look at him, to see him again, but she daren't, in case he saw her. She wasn't ready to see him yet, she hadn't prepared what she was going to say to him, or ran through the different scenarios in her head of what could happen, she only had the "happy ever after" scenarios that she had gone through in rehab. Now she was back in Walford, she knew that what she'd prepared to say to him in rehab wasn't right and that she had to come up with something new… if she did speak to him. Now she wasn't even certain if there would be a conversation between them. Definitely not one today at least.

If her visit with Whitney was anything to go by, her visit with Lucy wasn't going to be much better, and she wasn't sure she could face Joey today as well. She heard him say thank you for his order and then she saw him walk pass the window.

She closed her eyes and swallowed as she got up, heading over to face Lucy.

**AN: So Max is being a little overprotective of Lauren, not wanting her to go anywhere on her own. Is he going to loosen the leash a little or is he going to continue to be too smothering and what will happen if he does? Whitney gave Lauren the cold shoulder, civil but not friendly. Clearly she's still upset with Lauren. And she saw Joey, okay so he didn't see her, but she saw him and that's all that matters for the minute. Do you think she is going to be able to pluck up the courage to go and see him? If she does, what will she say? How will he react? And how is the apology with Lucy going to go? Thanks for all your reviews ... 22 for 2 chapters! Glad you are enjoying Revelry...Let me know what you are all thinking about Revelry, leave me a review. **

**Also you should go and check out 74Crazychicks story Sins of the Father….. it's brilliant !**

R&R as always


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four.**

Lauren carefully looked around before she opened the door to make sure no one saw her. Lucy looked up at her.

'Lauren! You're back?' she exclaimed in surprise.

'Yeah' Lauren nodded and she played with her fingers.

'You look...better' she said letting her eyes roam over her friend 'have you lost weight?'

'A little and I'm a little bit more toned now too' she replied not meeting Lucy's gaze.

Lauren took a breath 'I love your hair' Lucy said softly.

'Thanks, mum did it for me…' she paused, 'Look Lucy I came to say I'm sorry for everything I did and for what I said to you when I wasn't … myself' she frowned, licking her lips 'I hope we can put everything behind us and move on'

'I'd like that' Lucy said 'Look Lauren, before you left, I told you Joey and I were together, but we weren't. I tried but he wasn't interested, he just wanted you' Lauren nodded.

'That doesn't change the fact that you hooked up after I left though does it?'

'No…it was a brief…fling….it's over now' Lucy told her as she looked down, Lauren nodded again.

'I'd heard that'

'You've seen Joey?' Lucy asked curiously raising her eyes to meet her friends.

'No not yet. But you know how it is round here, gossip central' Lauren said and she pushed her hands into her back pockets, she glanced down at the toe of her boot. 'Anyway I'm going to go so….'

'I'm sorry too Lauren, for what I did' Lucy said 'I was jealous of you' she told her 'You being with Joey'

'Bet you're not so jealous now are you?' Lauren looked up at her and Lucy had the decency to look uncomfortable.

'I shouldn't have spiked your drink, I didn't know how bad your drinking was….. No that's not true I did. I just….. I wanted Joey'

'Well you got him' Lauren said with slight shrug. 'Besides Joey and I weren't exactly fair to you were we?' Lauren asked her 'We should have been honest with you and told you the truth about us from the start' she told her 'Nothing happened between us while you were with him' Lauren told her.

'I know' Lucy replied slightly ashamed 'Are you back for good?' Lucy asked.

'I don't know' Lauren said honestly.

'Are you going to see Whitney?'

I've already seen her' Lauren said 'I've seen everyone I needed to see' Laure said pushing her fingers into her pockets.

'Except Joey' Lucy said to her, Lauren nodded.

'Yeah except Joey. I know this is probably too much to ask but if you see him…'

'I won't see him' she said quickly, looking down.

'Well if you do, can you not tell him I'm back please'

Lucy nodded 'Why? Don't you want him to know?' she asked.

'No' Lauren shook her head 'Not yet'

'Okay, if I see him I won't say anything about you being back' she told her

'Thanks' Lauren told her 'that's pretty much everything I came to say so…' Lauren opened the door.

'Can we meet up later, talk properly?' Lucy asked her 'Go for a drink or something….' The words were out of Lucy's mouth before she could stop them.

'That's not a good idea Lucy' Lauren told her shaking her head and she closed the door.

Lucy stared after her and her eyes filled with tears at what she had done to her one time best friend.

Lauren walked back to the house and she sat at the bottom of the stairs. She felt shattered, physically and emotionally drained. She ran her hands over her face, then got up and went upstairs to her room, climbing onto the bed; and closing her eyes.

***JL*JL*JL*JL* **

After dinner Poppy came round with her beauty bag, she gave Lauren a manicure and they talked. Poppy wasn't the brightest tool in the tool box, but at least she listened, at least she understood, a little at least. Lauren had gotten upset as they talked and Poppy had hugged her and told her that if she ever needed someone to talk to, all she had to do was call her and she would be there for her, any time day or night, she then added that 3 o'clock in the morning might not be the best time to call her and that had made the two girls laugh.

She had another sleepless night that night, because she had decided that the next day she was going to bite the bullet, so to speak and go and see Joey. Abi and her Nan noticed that she was a little edgy that morning over breakfast, she barely ate anything. When she picked up her plate and left the room, her Nan followed her into the kitchen.

'Everything okay Lauren?' she asked her.

Lauren looked at her and she took a deep breath 'Yeah I just…I'm going to see Joey today. He's the last person that I need to apologise to. I was going to do it yesterday but I saw Whitney and Lucy…and…well let's just say that things didn't go too well and I figured maybe I shouldn't push myself too far' she said looking down 'I didn't sleep very well last night and I know I can't keep putting it off or it's just going to get harder to do' she told her.

'I understand you're worried about seeing Joey' her Nan told her 'but I don't think you should be. He asks after you all the time… me Abi and your dad' she said to her.

'He didn't call me once when I was in rehab'

'Max told him not to, he said you needed the time in there to focus on yourself, on your recovery' she replied 'I am sure everything is going to be okay'

Lauren licked her lips 'Maybe' she shrugged

'When are planning to go over and see him?'

'No definite time, just some point today' Lauren said 'I want to clean the kitchen first and then the bathroom'

'Didn't you clean the kitchen yesterday?'

'Not well enough, I need to clean the floors and sort out the cupboards' Lauren told her.

Cora nodded 'All right, well I have a shift in the launderette, you know that you can always pop in for a cup of tea'

I might just do that, thanks Nan' Lauren smiled at her.

'Well I better go before Dot gets her knickers in a bunch' she told her and she walked a few steps before turning round to look at her granddaughter. 'I'm proud of you Lauren' she told her softly.

Lauren smiled at her, unable to speak in case her emotions got the better of her, she heard the door close as the last of her family left.

**AN: So Lauren has decided that today she will go and see Joey. Any clues as to how things will go between them. We didn't get to see it in the show but Lucy apologised for spiking Lauren's drink and felt remorse for the contribution that she made to her friends health and the break-up of her relationship with Joey, especially when she realised that he wasn't interested in her, not in the way that she wanted to be. So what happens between Lauren and Joey when they meet…if they meet … read on to find out. Thank you for all your reviews, thank you to all the guest reviewers that I can't reply to. Your words are so kind and I am glad you are enjoying Revelry. It took a bit longer to get it how I wanted it before it was posted and without 74Crazychicks help and support and pushing it probably still wouldn't be ready… so thank you again. Leave me a review let me know what you think. R&R As always**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five. **

Lauren had spent a long time cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom, and then finding herself with nothing else left to occupy or distract her, she made her way to the R&R. She had been waiting outside for twenty minutes, using the delivery driver as an excuse not to go in. She promised herself she would go inside as soon as the driver left.

The driver had left over 5 minutes ago and still Lauren hadn't moved. She was hidden in the doorway of the Bookies. She had no excuse now and was just trying to pluck up the courage to go inside and face Joey. Deciding it was now or never, she somehow managed to put one foot in front of the other and walk towards the door of the club. If the door was shut then she would see Joey later, maybe tomorrow she thought to herself, continuing to try and make excuses for not seeing him.

The door was open. Lauren closed her eyes and sighed as her heart started to pound in her chest. She let herself in and crept quietly down the stairs, she could hear Joey unpacking some of the bottles from the delivery. Her heart was pounding harder and faster in her chest, she looked down at her hands and saw they were shaking. She clenched them into fists a few times but that didn't stop the shaking. Taking a couple of calming deep breaths, blowing the air out through her mouth, she took a final step into the club. Joey had his back to her; and she glanced at the box he was unpacking, finding it ironic that he was unpacking Vodka. A giggle formed in her throat and she had to bite her lip to stop it from bursting out. She needed to be serious.

'The delivery man left the door open' she said softly clasping her hands in front of her.

Joey froze, raising his head, he turned around quickly, the two bottles of vodka he had been looking at gripped tightly in his hands, he stared at her with surprise on his face as she stared back, drinking in the sight of him, of actually being in the same room as him now. After 8 weeks apart…well it was longer than that if you counted the time they were apart with the break up. She knew one of them had to speak and it wasn't going to be Joey, at the moment he looked like a rabbit in headlights.

The atmosphere between them felt awkward.

'Is that for me?' she gestured to the vodka bottles, instantly regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth, awkward went up a notch and stupid joined the game. She was an idiot.

'Er um no, no' Joey said turning and putting the bottles down on the bar 'course not' he cleared his throat.

'I'm joking' she said softly a faint nervous smile playing across her lips, 'bad joke…..sorry' she whispered. Stupid and awkward were now neck and neck.

'Yeah, yeah, obviously' he nodded in agreement, not really seeing the funny side of things. He frowned at her 'do you really think that you should be here, with me I mean, after all that drama with us. Wasn't that a big part of the problem?' he asked her.

'Well there is no us anymore is there? So that part of the problem is sorted' she replied a little harsher than she meant. This was even worse than she'd imagined it would be… and she'd imagined it going badly.

Joey visibly flinched and looked down 'Yeah. Yeah' he said in a faint whisper.

Awkward was back in the lead, but it was still a close thing.

'I'm glad you are doing well Lauren' he said.

'You can't even look at me can you?' she asked him, the shock ringing clear in her voice, Joey still didn't meet her gaze. 'Well….' She looked down at the floor and took a deep breath 'I'll tell you what, why don't I just see you around Joey?' she asked him. He didn't reply so she turned and walked out, feeling hurt and more than a little crushed by his actions, or lack thereof. She didn't see Joey look up at her as she left, the pained expression on his face, she didn't know the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Once outside the club, she shut the door behind her and leant up against the wall, closing her eyes. She thought that of all people Joey would have at least been pleased to see her, to see that she was okay. She thought that there would be something there between them after all they had been through, but she was wrong. The hopes and dreams she had clung to in rehab had just gone up in smoke and were falling down around her in a pile of ashes. Hot angry tears filled her eyes. Angry because her mother was right, she shouldn't have come back. She should have stayed in Devon and started over, she should have just written them all letters and left the ball in their court.

Lauren didn't see Whitney and Lucy watching her from the edge of the market. She didn't see them coming towards her, both of them concerned about her. Taking a deep breath and wiping her cheeks, she walked in the opposite direction.

She went to the launderette but her Nan wasn't there, she tried to call Poppy but there was no answer, she tried her mum but again there was no answer. For the first time in a long time Lauren felt lost and alone. The need for a drink was even more tempting than it was when she first got off the tube 4 days ago. She frowned and sighed, sitting down on the empty bench to gather herself together, her sister and dad would freak out if they saw her like this. Closing her eyes she took some deep breaths trying to fight off the tears that were threatening to fall. She pulled out of her pocket the list of AA meetings her counsellor had given her and looked at them, there was one in half an hour, twenty minutes away if she got the tube.

**AN: So the meeting with Joey didn't go the way she thought it was going to. He didn't react the way that she had imagined (for many hours) when she was in rehab and she was crushed to say to the least. So is she going to try again? Is she going to leave it? Lauren's off to her first AA meeting, how do you think that is going to go? Let me know what you're thinking about Revelry, leave me a review. R&R as always **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six.**  
Half an hour later Lauren was sitting in a room with15 complete strangers, she looked at them all one by one, they all looked like ordinary people. None of them had a neon sign flashing over their heads indicating to anyone who cared to look that they were alcoholics. She looked around the room at the posters and pictures on the walls. There was one that said to turn off mobile phones out of respect for everyone in the room. She quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it off before putting it back in her pocket.

Ten minutes into the meeting, people were asked if they wanted to go up and tell their story. Lauren looked around and saw no one make a move, so she held up her hand. She made her way to the front of the room and stood for a few seconds looking at everyone. Her hands began to shake again and she clenched them into fists by her sides. 'My name is Lauren' she said 'And I'm an alcoholic' She hated how her voice shook slightly but she guessed she wasn't the first person to be nervous about doing this.

'Hello Lauren' everyone echoed

'I got out of rehab five days ago after eight weeks there. And I went back home four days ago. I've followed the steps, seeking out everyone I hurt and I've apologised for the things I did and said when I was drunk. I thought it would be simple, easy, but it isn't' she said 'Some people were okay and really forgiving even though I thought they wouldn't be and others that I thought would listen to me, didn't and as for forgiving, well not so much' she looked down 'I tried to find the people who said that they would be around if I needed to talk, but I couldn't get hold of any of them and I really needed to talk… to someone' she paused and took a few deep breaths.

After a few moments she raised her eyes to the people in the room 'It hurts, that the people I care about, that I thought cared about me, don't want to listen to what I have to say' she told them 'When they look at me; all they see is the mess I was before I went into rehab, and it hurts that they expect me to be her now' she looked down at the floor again as her eyes filled with tears. 'Rehab was hard, but it was good. It made me realise I had problem and I needed to face it and fight it, it made me realise I wasn't just hurting other people but I was also hurting myself. Drinking made me feel…free.'

She paused, thinking through what she'd just said, 'Or I thought it did anyway. If I had a problem I would turn to drink. If I didn't have a problem I would drink. I drank because I liked it, I liked the way it made me feel. I felt confident, strong and brave' she said. 'And when the drink was gone I felt none of those things… then I would drink more so I could feel them again. In rehab they tell you to focus on yourself, to get better for yourself and to have an idea in your head about your future, to work towards that future…. My future included a boy' she said, smiling for the first time since she'd started talking, looking up and shaking her head sadly 'a boy that couldn't even look at me when I went to apologise' she said, the smile disappearing, to be replaced by the tears rolling down her cheeks 'I left his apology to last because I knew it would be the hardest one that I had to make, I had clung on to the idea of having a future with him. The time I spent in rehab, I'd convinced myself of that, and I was so certain when I came back he would be pleased to see me and that he would hug me, tell me he still loved me and that we would be okay' she said.

She looked up at the people in the room as she brushed away her tears. 'Instead, he looked at me like I was something disgusting that he'd trodden in, and I wasn't… I wasn't expecting that, I wasn't prepared for his rejection' she said 'So now… now I don't know what to do' she admitted, 'my mum suggested I stay with her, make a new life with her, give myself a fresh start, but I was adamant that I knew best and I needed to come home to face everyone, but now I think I made a mistake. I should have listened to her. I could have lived with the hope that one day Joey and I would be okay, and yes maybe I would never have known if things would've actually turned out like that but at least I wouldn't be feeling like this. The way I feel now. I've been sober for 65 days, and yes in those days I've wanted to drink, but not as badly as I do right now' she trailed off again, pausing for a longer than she had before as she tried to compose herself 'Things are never going to be the same again are they?' she asked them all, her voice barely a whisper but they all heard her, heard the sorrow and despair in her voice, 'Things are never going to be simple, I will always have this hanging over me. I came here today and I looked around at all of you and I don't see any neon signs flashing over your heads labelling you an "Alcoholic" but it feels like there is one over mine and no one is going to be able to get past it, to forget, to help me move on' she said and she wiped her eyes again. 'They've given up on me… and make me feel like I've already failed. I just want… need someone to believe in me and reassure me that I can do this.' The tears increased and she couldn't say anymore; not that there was really anything left for her to say.

**AN: Well Lauren opened up to a bunch of total strangers and it was a heartfelt and emotional confession. It's a shame that none of her friends were around to hear it, to listen to her or to give her advice. So what are Lauren's plans now? Is she going to go back to her mothers and start over? Well you'll have to read on and find out. Let me know what you are thinking. If you want to have another chapter tonight…. Then I could I be persuaded….. if you give me at least 11 reviews before 10pm… you shall have another chapter tonight, so you know what to do!**

**R&R as always**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven. **

Max frowned as Lauren's phone went to voice mail, his anxiety and worry kicking up a gear. He had to go and find her and make sure she was okay. Leaving the car lot, he checked the obvious places first, the Vic, then the house before he finally went to the club. He found Joey in the office sitting at the desk staring at the computer.

'Joey have you seen Lauren?'

'Yeah she was here about an hour ago' Joey said.

'You didn't give her a drink did you?' Max asked him.

Joey frowned at him 'Of course I didn't! What do you take me for? She said she wanted to talk but I kept my distance'

'What do you mean you kept your distance?' Max frowned putting his hands on his hips. 'Why?'

'Well I can't get involved with her again can I hey? I can't risk things can I?' he asked Max.

Max frowned shaking his head with a disappointed sigh and he left to continue searching for his daughter.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren walked into the club again. After the AA Meeting a few people had talked to her and told her that being strong and facing your fears was the best way forward and if this boy didn't listen to her then she had to make him listen and as soon as she had said what she needed to say, she would start to feel better and be proud of herself. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but now she was actually walking down the stairs once more she wasn't entirely convinced they had been right.

Joey was picking up some empty glasses and he turned and saw her.

'You can't be here' he frowned at her shaking his head, putting the glasses down heavily on the bar.

'It's not going to take long' she replied.

'Lauren please, I've already had your dad round here. Me and you shouldn't be around each other' he said looking at her, pushing his hands into his pockets to stop himself from grabbing her and hugging her tightly.

'Oh? Like that stopped us before' she shot back, Joey took a step towards her.

'Look, I just need to say a few things and then I'll go' she said to him 'All I need is five minutes, you can spare me that at least?' she asked him

'Five minutes' he nodded his head, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and folded them across his chest.

'Listen, what happened wasn't your fault okay? I was the girl who drank too much before you even came along.'

'It's a bit different though isn't it hey, I mean how you were at the end' he looked at her and she could see the pain in his eyes.

'I was the one that pressed the self-destruct button, not you. You didn't wreck things; that was me okay?' she asked him 'It had nothing to do with you. You didn't do anything wrong' she shook her head, pausing to take a breath 'Look I just need to say I am sorry. For everything I did and said to you. I need you to know I didn't mean it. I'm sorry for everything that happened between us' she told him softly 'I was angry and hurt and drunk' she told him with a wry smile. She licked her lips 'I really am sorry, but you have to believe me, none of this, nothing that happened to me was your fault. I did it to myself okay?' she told him 'and I'm doing better. I'm going to be okay, Joey' she whispered. Joey took another step towards her. 'I know you and me…well I know that we're never going to be together, I heard you've moved on and I accept it' she said softly 'I just want you to be happy and I didn't want you to think that you're to blame for any of this because you're not' she shook her head. She blinked at Joey and he said nothing, not that he didn't have anything to say. He did, he had lots to say, but for the moment his words were lost as he looked at the brave strong Lauren that stood before him, the girl he loved with all his heart, with every fibre of his being.

For the last few months all he'd wanted to do was to hold her in his arms, to tell her she would be okay and that he would help her, tell her he still loved her. And then suddenly she disappeared one night and when he asked after her, all Max would tell him was that she was getting help and she'd be okay. She just needed to focus on herself and she needed no distractions from him, then Max had gotten angry with him, telling him that if he was so worried about her then maybe he should have helped her instead of breaking her heart for the third time and walking away from her.

Her voice startled him when she spoke again, 'well I guess my five minutes is up now so, thank you for listening' she told him, her voice breaking slightly at the end. She turned and fled. Joey wanted to go after her, but there was no other barman in tonight and he needed this job, he needed to prove to Sharon that he could manage the club on his own. He knew he couldn't let Sharon down, so he would just have to wait and go to see Lauren tomorrow.

**AN: Lauren and Joey have finally had a talk and she apologised for everything that happened between them. But she thinks he's moved on so does this mean that Lauren is going to leave? And how is Max going to react when she gets home, he's been worried about her and looking for her. So what do you think happens next? Let me know.  
R&R as always **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight. **

The next day after breakfast Lauren showered and dressed and went to meet with the Dean of the College. She spent two hours going through the coursework she had already submitted and the work that she would need to complete to catch up and they arranged to meet again in a month to check on Lauren's progress. She walked back through the square feeling like there was a spring in her step.

'You look pleased with yourself' she heard Whitney say and she looked up to see her standing at Tyler's stall with him.

'I am. I've just got accepted back into College' Lauren said to her, a little surprised Whitney had started a conversation with her 'there's a lot of work I need to catch up on, but I know I can do it' she said.

Whitney nodded her head, giving her a small smile 'Good for you. So does that mean you are staying in Albert Square?' she asked her.

'The Dean said I can submit the work online or via post so I can do it from mum's too' she replied, Whitney blinked, surprised by her non-committal answer 'Well I'd better go, start studying' Lauren said, Tyler nudged Whitney.

'We're…we're going for lunch in the Vic if you wanted to join us?' Whitney said to her. Lauren's eyes moved to look at the Vic, after yesterday she wasn't sure she should subject herself to a pub lunch, Whitney could see she was hesitant.

'It's okay. I ate at the café near College' she lied. 'But thanks, maybe next time?' Lauren smiled at her friend.

'Sure' Whitney frowned as she watched Lauren walk away.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Once at home Lauren put her books on the kitchen table and she made herself a sandwich, pouring herself a glass of apple juice from the fridge. She opened the back door to let in some air and sat down with her book and started to read through the work she needed to do, starting to write up a calendar for study, planning it for the next four weeks, adding in her counselling sessions and AA meetings. The lecture she got from her dad last night drifted into her head, about how she couldn't just disappear for hours on end without a word to anyone. That she needed to answer her phone when he called her. How trust was something she needed to earn and so far she hadn't shown him that he could trust her.

'You look busy' Joey said from the doorway. She looked up at him surprised and startled, closing the book 'I knocked but I don't think you heard me' he said, Lauren glanced towards the back door.

'It was a little stuffy in here so I opened the door' she replied. She saw him looking down at the table and saw the list of AA meetings on display, she reached out and grabbed them and stuffed them into her book and got up with her apple juice. 'What are you doing here Joey?' she asked him as she walked into the lounge. He followed her and she gestured for him to sit down first. He sat on the sofa hoping that Lauren would sit next to him, she chose to sit down in the armchair, taking a sip of apple juice to calm her nerves. 'I thought you said we shouldn't be around each other' she looked at him expectantly.

'Yeah I know. I just … I wanted to say I was sorry that I didn't say anything to you yesterday after you said everything, after you apologised. There was so much I wanted to say to you but the words just wouldn't come out of my mouth' he said and he looked at her 'You look…'

'Better than I did the last time you saw me?' she jumped in 'yeah that's what I've been getting from everyone' she told him, looking down, suddenly interested in the contents of her glass.

'Amazing' he finished 'You look really great Lauren, really well' he told her, she licked her lips and looked up at him as she played with the rim of her glass.

'Thanks' she got up, putting the glass down on the coffee table 'So was that everything?' she asked walking to the doorway

'No. Not really' he said shaking his head 'I realise how difficult it must have been for you to come see me and say the things you had to say to me and I know I didn't exactly make it easy for you, and for that I am sorry' he told her

'Yeah well you weren't the only one so…' she looked down at her shoes.

Joey frowned 'Who else have you seen?'

'Everyone. You were my last stop' she told him 'My counsellor said to …well I guess you're not interested in what my counsellor has to say' she chewed nervously on her bottom lip and wished a big hole would swallow her up 'anyway I'm sure you have things you need to be doing and I have a lot of work to do so….' She let the unfinished sentence hang in the air hoping he would take the hint. He didn't or he ignored it, she wasn't sure which.

'Are you staying in Walford?' he asked her 'In the square I mean?'

'Everyone's so keen to know if I'm staying' she mumbled under her breath, not loud enough for him to hear her. 'Honestly, I don't know' she told him 'there doesn't really seem to be anything left for me here anymore' she told him 'I guess I ruined it all'

'You haven't ruined everything Lauren' he said to her 'and I'm sure, given time, people will come around and see that you're different, that you're better now' he said 'You are better now?' he asked her softly.

'I'm better than I was' she replied knowing she still had a very long way to go in her recovery and she would never be fully recovered.

'I wanted to call you and visit you, but your dad and Cora said it wasn't a good idea. They said you needed to focus on yourself and I shouldn't be selfish and try to distract you from that' he told her. He licked his lips and he rubbed his hands on his thighs, Lauren knew this was something he did when he was nervous, Lauren frowned wondering what he had to be nervous about, and then she realised it was probably being alone in a room with her, in case she threw herself at him like she had done in one of her not so fine moments a few months back. Her face flamed as she remembered how the rejection had felt and the things she had called after him. He glanced up at her and saw her reddened cheeks. 'Are you okay?' he asked her 'with me being here I mean?'

'It's a little uncomfortable' she admitted to him.

Joey nodded in agreement 'Yeah it is….I'm sorry'

'Don't apologise, you have nothing to apologise for' she looked up at him. She gazed into this dark brown eyes, swallowing as her heart pounded hard in her chest.

'I missed you' he said softly.

'Yeah so I heard' she shot back 'first you missed me with Lucy and then you missed me with a different girl every night'

Joey blinked hurt by her tone, her accusations, regardless that they were true. 'Lucy and I did have a brief thing …..It didn't last and it wasn't serious' he told her 'I wanted you but you weren't here'

'So it's my fault?' Lauren asked incredulously 'I was in rehab over 200 miles away and it was my fault you slept with Lucy, with half of Walford?'

'That's not what I meant' Joey said and he stood up moving towards her. She moved away from him, turning to the front door, opening it.

'I think you should go' she told him not meeting his gaze.

'Lauren…' he whispered softly.

'Please, Joey can you just go. Please?' she asked him.

'All right okay. I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you, that wasn't my intention' he told her 'I don't blame you for my actions Lauren' he told her 'and I don't mean to rub them in your face. I was missing you so I found comfort elsewhere. They were just meaningless one night stands babe, that's all, I swear, they meant nothing to me'

'Well they mean something to me' she said to him quietly, still not able to look at his face. 'You know the only thing that kept me going through rehab was you' she told him, he blinked at her in surprise, not that she knew that 'I thought once I came back here, you and I could try again, it's all I thought about. The future I wanted to have. The one I thought I deserved to have' she frowned 'I guess that was a stupid mistake too' she sighed as Joey stepped outside 'You were right Joey' she said to him 'We really shouldn't be around each other' she told him 'So you stay away from me and I will do everything I can to stay away from you' she said shutting the door in his face, leaning against it, covering her face with her hands. She sank down to the floor already in tears.

Joey closed his eyes as he heard her sobbing through the door. He felt guilty that he hadn't been faithful to her, to them, not that he knew at the time that there was a "them" to be faithful to, but there was her. He'd let her down again and had hurt her. It seemed to him, letting her down was all he ever did. He walked across the square, letting himself into the house he shared and he walked through to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

**AN: So Max gave her a lecture when she got back last night and it's playing on her mind a little. Joey came to see her too, and finally talked to her, but it sounds like it's too little too late. She knows that he slept with Lucy and lots of other girls whilst she was in rehab, and then stupidly he implied it was her fault because she was gone. So what happens now? Does Lauren still want Joey? Or is it all over this time, for good? What is Joey thinking about all this? Well you'll find out in the next chapter! Thank you for all the reviews so far for Revelry…I'm so glad that you like it. To all my guest reviewers…thank you so much for taking the time to review, I love reading your thoughts on the story…. So…don't forget to leave me another review after reading this chapter! R&R as always.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine. **

Laying down on the bed Joey picked up the picture of Lauren that he had on his bedside table and he looked at it. He would prove to Lauren, to everyone; that he could be the man she needed him to be.

He was 24 years old and to be truthful he was tired of sleeping with random girls, none of them compared to Lauren, none of them made him feel the way he did when he was with her. Sex with them was just that sex, but with Lauren it was so much more, more than he ever knew it could be. He had fallen in love for the first time, granted it was with his cousin, and yes it wasn't the most conventional of relationships, but as his mother had told him on numerous occasions, you can't help who you fall in love with. He knew he hadn't told Lauren that he loved her often, only once verbally, the rest of the times he had just tucked her hair behind her ear, but she knew what the gesture meant. He frowned at that thought, at least he hoped she did. But this time it was going to take more than a hair tuck, this time he was going to have to prove to her that he loved her despite of any doubts she might have.

Of course she had doubts, he knew that. He had slept with more than a few girls, not quite half of Walford as she had put it, but a few nonetheless whilst she was gone and even he could see that it clearly didn't prove to her or show her that he loved her. In fact it most likely told her they were in the past and he had moved on.

And now she was telling him that he needed to keep his distance from her. That was something he knew he wasn't going to be able to do, even if he wanted to, which he didn't. He wished he hadn't listened to Cora, to Uncle Max, he wished he had plucked up the courage to call her, text her or even go and see her, to talk to Tanya at the very least. To let her know he was thinking about her, missing her.

Joey didn't know exactly how he was going to do it, but he knew he had to get her back, that he needed to do whatever it took to win Lauren back again. He remembered telling her once, despite all the bad things happening around them, within their families, that they could be happy. Joey wanted more than anything to be happy with Lauren. He knew he had a lot of work to do, but he also knew that in the end, it would be worth it. She was more than worth it.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren wiped her eyes and gave up on the work she'd been trying to do. She made a start on dinner, making a lamb casserole. It was all prepared and in the oven, ready for eating in about an hour, when her dad came in looking pleased with himself.

'We are going to have dinner in the Vic to celebrate your old man selling ten cars today!' he said grinning broadly.

'I've got a casserole in the oven' Lauren said to him with a frown.

'It'll keep won't it? We can have it tomorrow' he told her 'we can invite Uncle Jack and Sharon, Joey and Alice over for dinner' he said reaching past her and turning the oven off.

'Not Joey' Lauren said shaking her head.

'Why, what's he done now?' Max frowned at her.

'Nothing, I just … I don't think it's a good idea for us to be around each other that's all' she said shrugging her shoulders.

'Well it's not as though as you two are going to be alone together is it hey? We'll all be there' he told her, taking a step away and turning to look at her 'I thought you said your drinking had nothing to do with Joey' he frowned wondering why Lauren had a sudden change of heart about Joey. She had been begging them to let her say goodbye to him before she left with her mother.

'It didn't' she said 'but if it's all the same to you I would rather not have him around' she told him.

'Okay' he nodded 'We don't invite Joey' he told her with a shrug, although he was secretly pleased that a reunion with Joey seemed to be off the cards, not that he had anything against Joey, he just thought Lauren needed to try and stay drama free for a while, and she certainly wouldn't have that with Joey, 'your nan and Abi are meeting us at the pub'. Lauren sighed and reluctantly followed him out of the house, grabbing her coat on the way out. They crossed the square to the Vic as she told him about College and the extra work she was going to make up, but the Dean thought it was possible if she worked hard, she told her dad about the schedule she had drawn up for her studying and counselling. Max was impressed.

'Well it sounds as though you have everything under control, just… when it gets too much, talk to me yeah?' he asked her holding the door open for her. She walked into the pub and saw all her friends were there, including Joey and Alice. Obviously they'd be in the pub, it's Friday night; she thought to herself, where else would they be?

**AN: So now you all know what Joey's thinking. And you all know what Max is thinking. Unfortunately they are on very different pages. So Joey is going to have his work cut out if he wants to win Lauren back and Max isn't going to be helping him anytime soon. All her friends are in the Vic as she walks in with her dad, I wonder how they are going to react? Read on to find out.  
R&R as always. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten. **

Every single one of her friends fell quiet as she walked through the pub and passed their table. Her Uncle Jack and Sharon were there and they both got up and gave her a firm long hug to welcome her back. Sharon commented on her hair and they fell into an easy conversation. Her friends were still staring at her though, she could feel their eyes burning into her back. Max went to the bar to get the drinks, returning with an apple juice for Lauren. He and Jack had a scotch, Sharon had an orange juice, her Nan had a gin and tonic, and Abi had a coke. Lauren was surrounded by people drinking alcohol. And., if she was being honest, it made her feel a little nervous. They ordered their food and she got up to go to the bathroom, luckily she didn't have to walk by her friends to get there. After she finished in the toilet she washed her hands, looking at her reflection in the mirror, she rubbed at an imaginary smudge on her face, before turning and walking out of the toilets, bumping straight into Lucy.

'Sorry' Lauren said automatically.

'It's okay, I was actually coming to see you' she told her 'It can't have been easy seeing us all together like that. Alice and Joey were already here, Alice asked us to join their table' she said 'We're going clubbing later, we talked about asking you but we weren't sure if you would want to come' she told Lauren 'so we didn't ask you. We didn't want to put you in an awkward position' she explained.

'It's fine' Lauren said to her 'thanks for the invite but I'll pass thanks'

'Is it because of Joey?' Lucy asked her.

'No' Lauren lied shaking her head 'I'd better get back to my family dinner' she told the blonde and she walked away, leaving Lucy staring after her. Lauren sat down and smiled at her dad, he put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, he did the same to Abi too and they both grinned at him.

'Can I get another apple juice please, dad?' Lauren asked him.

'Yeah sure' he said getting up.

'Can I go to the bar myself?' she asked him. He looked at her and he flicked his gaze to Cora who nodded encouragingly.

'Yeah of course' he nodded giving her a £20 note.

'Does anyone else want anything?' she looked around the table.

'Coke please' Abi said with a grin.

'Nan?' she asked her and she saw her Nan hesitate. 'Come on Nan, I'm going to the bar, do you want a drink or not?' she frowned at her.

'G&T please darling' Lauren looked around at the others and they ordered the same drinks that they had last time. Lauren made her way to the bar and found she was standing next to Joey.

Tracey came up to her 'Yes Lauren, what can I get you?' she asked her.

'Joey was here before me' she replied.

'Ladies first' he said with a smile.

'Okay, I'll have an apple juice with ice, a coke without ice, an orange juice with ice, two double scotches and a gin and tonic please' she reeled off the drinks order to Tracey. Tracey nodded and went to get them, she could feel Joey's eyes burning a hole into the side of her head and she turned to look at him. 'What? I'm thirsty' she deadpanned.

'Do you really think you should be buying alcohol, Lauren?' he asked her annoyed with Max for letting her come to the bar.

'It's all about building the trust back, Joseph' she said, knowing he hated it when she called him that 'something you clearly know nothing about. And before you storm over there and have a go at dad for letting me come to the bar, I asked him, practically begged him to let me, he has been watching me like a hawk for the last 5 days and It's beginning to drive me insane, I need to show him I can be around alcohol and not drink myself into oblivion. I need him to start trusting me so he gives me some space' she told him 'not that it is any of your business though' she added with a frown.

'Sorry' Joey said softly 'I know you're stronger than that' he said to her 'You know if you want to get away anytime you can always come over to mine. You still have the key right?' he asked her.

'Doubtful, I recall a drunken night down by the river, after another one of our awkward moments, I think your spare key is at the bottom of the river' she replied.

'Good job I have another spare then, hey?' he said producing one out of his pocket. 'I was coming over to see you in a bit' he told her 'to apologise to you again for what happened today…'

'Can we just not talk about it?' she asked him 'or not talk at all? I think I'd prefer that' she told him.

'I wouldn't' he replied 'I did miss you, Lauren' he told her 'and I am really glad you're back, I wasn't sure you were coming back, no one would tell me if you were or not'

'No one knew until the day I showed up here. Except mum. I talked things through with her' she said to him.

'Listen, I was thinking about maybe going for a walk later, through the park, down by the lakes, do you want to come with me?' he asked her.

Lauren looked at him 'I thought you were going clubbing?' she asked him.

'No' he shook his head 'So do you want to come for a walk with me?'

Why?' she frowned.

'So we can talk, try to be friends' he said to her.

'Is that what we are?' she frowned at him 'Just friends?'

'No' he shook his head 'we never were just friends were we, hey?' he asked her.

Lauren looked down at the key on the counter, picked it up and looked at it 'I don't think this is a good idea' she told him 'the key, I appreciate the gesture and everything but….hiding away isn't going to help me solve my problems' she told him sliding the key back towards him, as Tracey came back with a tray of drinks. He picked up the key and as she went to lift the tray Joey's hand covered hers.

'Let me carry it' he suggested, he saw anger flash in her eyes 'I saw first-hand what happened the last time you tried to help me at the club with a tray of drinks' he reminded her.

'Valid point' she said with a sigh as she remembered that disaster, she pulled her hand out from under his, she thought she felt him give it a soft squeeze but she wasn't sure, maybe it was just wishful thinking.

'So about the walk?' he asked her as they made their way back to the table.

'Okay' she replied, surprising herself with her answer.

Joey put the tray of drinks down on the nearby table and Lauren started to give them out. 'I'll wait here until you finish eating' he told her with a smile. He went back over to his friends and sat down again.

Lauren glanced at him every now and then and she was almost certain he winked at her. She blushed and looked down, concentrating on her food.

**AN: Max is showing a little bit of trust in Lauren, letting her go to the bar to get the drinks, although this has annoyed Joey! Whatever Lauren does she can't win can she? But she's agreed to go for a walk with Joey. Wonder what he has to say? Will she listen? And will things end well?. Thanks for all your reviews so far. You all seem to be enjoying Revelry….so leave me a review and let me know what you think. R&R as always xx **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven. **

After they had finished eating, Lauren used the facilities again and as everyone got up to leave she grabbed her dad's hand, he turned to look at her.

'I'm going for a walk with Joey' she told him.

'You've changed your tune haven't you?' he asked her 'I thought you couldn't stand the sight of him earlier'

'He upset me is all' Lauren said with a shrug 'he's apologised and said he wants to talk. I won't be late' she told him.

Max sighed 'Lauren, you know how much I like Joey, but you really need to concentrate on your recovery, not have any distractions hey?' he asked her softly.

Lauren nodded 'I know, you don't have to worry dad, Joey just want to be friends, and I don't know if you've noticed the lack of friends that I have right now, having at least one would be nice' she told him.

Max looked up at Joey and he met the young man's gaze and held it, a warning flashing between the two 'All right, just be careful okay?' he asked her 'Stay out of trouble'

'We're just going for a walk dad, how much trouble do you think I can get into doing that?' she asked him rolling her eyes.

'You know what I mean. Don't do anything rash Lauren'

'Got it' she nodded her head and reached up kissing his cheek.

'Ten o'clock Lauren' he called after her as she walked towards Joey.

Joey could see the blush growing on her cheeks as she approached him. He stood up and they walked out of the opposite doors of the pub to her dad.

'What was that all about?' Joey asked her.

'Just dad telling me that I need to focus on my recovery, not have any distractions' she told him.

'Me being the distraction?' he asked her.

'Oh and apparently I have a curfew now' she told him 'I have to be back by 10:00pm' she ignored his question.

'He's just worried about you' he told her 'That's not a bad thing is it?'

'No, I suppose not' she said, with a sigh as they headed towards the park.

'But…?' he pressed her.

'It just feels like I'm under a microscope all the time, everyone watching my every move, walking on eggshells around me, questioning everything I do or say, wanting to know where I am going to be every second of the day' she told him 'It makes me feel …' she trailed off.

'Makes you feel what?' he asked her softly.

'Like a prisoner' she told him, Joey pushed his hands into his pockets 'I had more freedom in rehab even though I wasn't actually allowed to leave the grounds or the facility for 8 weeks' she told him 'Yes, they had CCTV everywhere but I could still go where I wanted to go, be alone for hours if I wanted to' she said with a sigh 'and no one said anything, but here, at home, I spend one minute longer in the bathroom than people think I should and they're pounding on the door asking me what I'm doing'

Joey glanced at her 'You could've told me you were going Lauren' he said, to her.

'I didn't know I was going' she admitted to him 'mum had apparently been planning it for a while and she decided after my last display at the Vic that it was now or never. She told me I needed to pack a bag as she was going to take me away for the weekend, dad said he would help me and then as we were packing I realised he was packing way too much for a weekend away and I knew' she said softly 'I knew mum was planning to take me to rehab. Dad and I talked and he broke down and told me how he had already watched one child die and that he couldn't do it again. He made me admit I needed help, and it wasn't just a case of stopping drinking, I needed proper professional help and he asked me to go, for him, for mum, for Nan and Abi' she said, and for you she added silently, she sighed 'and for the last 65 days I've been sober'

'Lucy said she'd tried to call you' he said to her as they crossed the street.

'Yeah well, Lucy wasn't exactly someone I wanted to talk to right at that moment' she told him with a frown.

'You do know that she was lying, right?' he told her 'I wasn't with her before you left'

'Doesn't matter now does it?' she shrugged.

'Of course it matters' he said as they walked into the park 'I need you to know I wasn't with her then'

'Okay fine you weren't with her then, but you were after….' she sighed 'Look can we change the subject please?' she asked him as she walked ahead of him.

Joey licked his lips, following her at a distance, giving her some time to cool down a little. He watched as she sat down on the swings.

'You said you were thinking about going to back to your mum's?' he asked when he caught up with her.

'Yeah' she nodded 'maybe what I need is a fresh start, make some new friends; meet some new people' she told him, he sat on the swing next to hers.

Joey licked his lips 'By new people do you mean other guys?' he asked her.

'Maybe' she nodded.

He looked down at his hands 'that makes me feel … jealous'

She glanced at him quickly 'Good' she replied.

'What about College?' he asked her.

'The Dean said I could complete the course online or via post' she told him 'it doesn't matter where I am I can still complete the work'

'What about your friends and family here?'

'My family got on fine without me the past couple of months' she replied 'I'm sure they'll manage without me being here and I don't really have any friends here…not anymore'

'What about me?' he asked, Lauren looked up at him 'What I am supposed to do?'

'I'm sure you'll find other …..things to distract you' she shot back 'you managed to distract yourself for the past two months so I'm sure you won't have any problems'

Joey took a deep breath, letting it out slowly 'So does that mean you don't want to try again?' he asked her 'I mean that's what you said you were hoping for when you were in rehab'

'Yeah, well that was before you slept with Lucy' Lauren told him with a frown 'she got exactly what she'd been trying to get for months and you just gave it to her, with no thought to me' she said and she got off the swing, walking a few steps away from him.

'You were gone' he frowned at her 'I didn't know if you were ever going to come back, if I would ever see you again. I wouldn't have acted the way I did if I knew you were coming back, Lauren, I swear' she turned to look at him.

'When I first got there, the days were so long' she told him 'they had you up at 6:00am, you could go to gym or you could run, walk round the grounds but you had to do something, you couldn't lie in bed. Breakfast was at 7:30am, and then after you'd eaten, you had to do chores, cleaning up the breakfast room or the kitchen, before the one to one counselling sessions started or group sessions. They lasted an hour or two hours, then there was arts and crafts followed by lunch, then more talking, or running, or crafts. Dinner was at 6.00pm, and after that, well then you had time to yourself' she said 'Bed time was at 10:00pm, and the next day the whole routine would start over. And each day in the counselling session they would ask you exactly the same questions they'd asked you the day before. It was the same day over and over again for the first month' she told him 'You were the first thing I thought about when I woke up, I talked about you all the time in the sessions, at one point my counsellor asked me if there was anyone else in Walford or was it just you and me' she said with a small smile. 'You were the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep' she told him, pausing to take a breath. She let it out slowly as she felt herself getting upset. 'All the free time I had, I thought about you… you were the one thing that kept me going through all of this, I thought once I got out, came back to the Square, I thought we would work things out, that we would be together and I wanted it so badly Joey…..the one good thing I had in my life that I regretted wrecking and…all the time you were just sleeping around, as if I didn't exist anymore…' she trailed off, looking down as she fought back the tears, 'It was so hard in there Joey, so hard and there were so many times I wanted to give up, when I wanted to have one more drink, one last drink, but then I would remember your face in the Vic, the look of total despair, disappointment…and it hurt me to know I did that to you, to us…and more than anything in my life I wanted to show you I could do it, I wanted you to be proud of me' she told him as tears rolled down her cheeks.

'I am proud of you, babe' he told her standing up 'I'm incredibly proud of you, Lauren' he closed the distance between them. 'Hey, come here' he took her hand, tugging on it gently, pulling her towards him; enveloping her in his arms. 'I am so proud of you, babe' he whispered softly as she sobbed brokenly against his chest. 'Sssh, it's okay' he pressed his lips against her hair, fisting his hands in her sweater, pulling her firmly against him, 'I'm sorry I hurt you, Lauren, I'm so sorry' he murmured over and over again 'I've missed you so much, Lauren. I want to be with you'

'How can you say that when you've been sleeping with other girls?' she frowned and pulled away to look at him.

'I thought we were over. You left without a word and I thought I'd blown my chance with you' he told her softly, brushing her tears away with his thumbs 'Lauren, babe, please give me another chance' he whispered to her.

'I don't know, Joey' she said shaking her head 'I just… I don't know if I can forgive you … or if you can forgive me ….'

'There's nothing for me to forgive you for' he told her surprised she thought there was 'you needed help and I walked away, I made things worse. I should've believed you when you told me what Lucy did…' he said 'I should've got you to talk to me like you did just now…..you've never really talked to me like that before. Maybe if I'd tried to get you to open up more, or if I was more supportive, or if I…' Lauren blinked as she stared at him knowing he still felt partly responsible for what she did to herself.

'No one made me drink, Joey, no one poured the vodka down my neck. It was all me' she looked at him shaking her head 'you didn't make me drink, I wanted to, I needed to. And yes I know we talked…fought about it and after I missed your marathon I promised you I wouldn't drink again…..and I meant it, Joey.'

'Lucy spiked your drink' he reminded her

'Yeah, she did, and I may have lasted the night without drinking, but sooner or later I would've drunk behind your back' she told him with a sigh 'I forced your hand, I forced you to break up with me. I left you no choice…..'

Her phone sprang to life in her pocket, startling them both as it rang shrilly, she pulled it out and looked at it; 'its dad' she told him 'its 10:00pm!' She exclaimed noticing the time on the phone. 'Hi dad, we're almost back' she lied. She paused as she listened, 'yes I'm still with Joey, we got talking and lost track of the time' Joey watched her face turn red at something Max said and she mumbled a goodbye and hung up the phone, before shoving it back into her pocket. 'We need to go' she told him, as she turned and started to walk. Joey followed her with a sigh.

They didn't talk on the way back to the square, both of them lost in their own thoughts, neither of them knowing what to say.

Joey insisted on walking Lauren to her front door, she pulled out her keys, and looked at him, 'I'm sorry' she said softly. 'Curfew' she shrugged clearly feeling embarrassed.

'Don't be' he shook his head. He swallowed the lump that had formed in this throat 'can I see you tomorrow?' he asked her.

'I don't know' she shrugged. 'I'd better go inside' she turned away from him and unlocked the door, stepping inside and closing the door behind her without looking at him again.

Joey stared at the house for a few minutes and then walked back to his, with a frown on his face.

**AN: Joey and Lauren talked, really talked and Joey listened. He told her he wants to be with her and she's angry/hurt he slept with other people whilst she was gone, even though technically they had broken up. She told him more than she's told anyone since leaving rehab. So what do you think is going to happen now? Will Joey and Lauren work things out or will she leave to have a fresh start? She still has the idea floating around in her head. Let me know your thoughts. R&R as always. **


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This story is already written in full...all I am doing is posting the chapters. I am not going to be adding new characters in at the request of people reading the story, so please stop asking me to. Thank you. **

**Chapter Twelve.**

The next morning Lauren woke again after only three hours sleep. It was 6:00am, she got up and put on her running gear her mother had brought her, pulled out her iPod, pressing the button to turn it to shuffle and pushed her earphones in. She crept downstairs, writing a quick note for her dad and grabbing her keys before silently leaving the house. She jogged down the steps, and once she was on the street, did some stretches for about ten minutes and then took off running. She ran through the square, marvelling at the peacefulness and emptiness, passed the tube station and the war memorial, she did two laps but it wasn't enough. She still needed to run, so she headed for the park.

Lauren ran a circuit of the park and then pushed herself harder until her lungs burned, until she was pushing herself to her limits. She came to a stop at the benches gasping in lungful's of air as she tried to recover. She turned the iPod off and stretched some more. Lauren sat down on the bench and lost herself in thought, unaware she'd been seen.

Joey had also decided to go for a run that morning, and had been running behind her, and was admiring her very shapely rear as she did her cooling down stretches. He could've stayed and watched her all day but he had to get to the club for a delivery. He turned and ran back the way that he had come, unseen by the object of his fascination.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren got another lecture from her dad about letting Joey upset her last night when she got home from her run; as he'd seen the remnants of tears on her face after their walk the previous night then he spoke to her about taking off in the morning, so once he was done she went out to get a coffee and some peace and quiet. She headed through the market but was stopped by Peter.

'Hello you, how are you doing?'

'Better, thanks' Lauren nodded 'You running the stall now?'

'Yeah, like old times hey?'

'In the old times you used to give me free grapes' Lauren replied with a cheeky grin. Peter smiled at her, rolling his eyes as he picked up a bunch of white grapes and dropped them in a bag for her. 'Thank you' she grinned at him before continuing on her journey.

'Only because you're a fittie' he called after her, Lauren smiled and turned round to face him whilst she walked backwards.

'Bet you say that to all the girls' she shot back.

'Oi! Look where you're going!' Peter laughed. She turned to face the right way and almost walked straight into Joey.

'Oh…sorry' she said.

'It's okay' he replied with a smile 'I was actually on my way over to yours. Listen, do you… do you fancy a coffee?' he asked her.

'That's where I was heading' she replied.

'Feel like some company?'

She thought about it for a few seconds and shook her head, Joey's face fell slightly, 'but I could use a distraction?' she smiled at him. She walked into the café missing the slow, broad grin that spread across Joey's face.

*JL*JL*JL*JL

Max stepped out of the Minute Mart frowning, as he watched the two of them walk into the café. After the state she was in when she got home last night he was sure Lauren would be keeping away from Joey. But now it looked as though they were the best of friends again. Max was worried. He was going to have to find a way to nip this in the bud before she ended up back where she'd been eight weeks ago. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere with Lauren, he'd already tried talking to her. This time he was going to have to talk to Joey, try to make Joey see things from his point of view. Make him understand that things needed to be different this time.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey joined her at the counter 'I'll get these babe. You get a seat' he looked around at the busy café. Lauren nodded and walked over to the one remaining empty table, sliding into the seat moving into the middle deliberately so Joey would have to sit the other side of her.

A few minutes later he brought the coffees over and he put them down on the table sitting opposite her 'Did you remember to ask her to...'

He cut her off mid-sentence 'add extra milk? Yeah' he nodded rolling his eyes. She smiled picking up her cup and taking a sip before putting it down in front of her, wrapping her hands around the cup.

'I'm sorry about last night Joey' she told him 'I don't know where that came from…I guess after the last five days, everything kind of got to me. I didn't mean to cry on you like that'

'It's okay' he said shaking his head 'like I said you don't have anything to apologise for' he told her leaning on the table, picking up the salt shaker and fiddling with it. 'And if you need to talk about anything, you know where I am.'

She nodded 'dad was pretty upset with you last night' Lauren told him 'I tried to tell him that it wasn't anything you did or said, I was just upset…. His anxiety levels have gone up even more now, I caught him putting a lock on the cabinet where he keeps the scotch' she told him softly 'All he keeps telling me is that I need to focus on my recovery, not worry about anything else, he thinks I'm putting too much pressure on myself, and I need to relax and take things easy, but I am focused on my recovery. Why does everyone think I'm not? Am I not allowed to have friends now?' she frowned.

'Just give it a few more weeks and Max… everyone… will see how strong you are' he told her softly 'you just need to show them you can do this' Lauren nodded.

'I know, I'm trying to' she sighed as she picked up her coffee and took another sip staring down into the cup pensively afterwards.

'You know I want to be with you don't you, hey?' he asked her. She looked up at him and nodded her head 'and you want to be with me too, don't you?' she nodded again 'so if you wanted to …we could start over' he suggested.

'Is that what you want?' she questioned.

He nodded 'We'd be stupid to think we could just jump right back in where we left off though, wouldn't we? We need to build up the trust again, build our relationship up again. Do things properly' she put her cup down as he spoke and traced the red squares on the table cloth with her fingers.

'So how do we do that?' she asked him softly.

'We take the time to get to know each other again. We talk; really talk, like we did last night and we spend time together' he told her.

'Okay' she said 'that sounds like a plan' she told him 'we can start by you and Alice coming over to dinner tonight, I made a lamb casserole'

'I've tasted your cooking' he said pulling a face half teasing, half serious.

'Hey!' she exclaimed, her hand slapping his arm instinctively 'I cooked when I was in rehab' she told him 'learnt a lot of recipes. I think you'll find my cooking is now edible' she said 'mostly' she added with a small smile 'Dinner's at 7:00pm' '

'We'll be there' he told her 'So what are you planning to do for the rest of the day?'

'I have a paper to write on women directors in film' she told him.

'Oh! Sounds… interesting' he said clearly not convinced.

'It is actually, once you get into it' she took another mouthful of coffee, putting the cup down again once she had. She looked at Joey's hands and took a deep breath 'we'll be okay won't we?' she asked him. Joey could see how vulnerable she looked and he reached across the table and took her hands in his and squeezed gently.

'You know I can't see into the future, but if it's what we both want and we both work at it then I don't see why we won't be' he told her honestly.

Lucy came into the café with Whitney and they saw Lauren and Joey sitting together. Joey's mobile rang and he let go of Lauren's hands to answer it. She found she missed his touch instantly. She moved her hands away and picked up her coffee. He saw it was Max calling him and wondered what he wanted.

'It's Alice' he lied 'I'm late for lunch with her' he looked at her sheepishly 'Sorry I have to go'

'Of course, can you tell Alice about tonight?' she asked him.

'Top of my list' he nodded as he got up.

'Thanks for the coffee' she smiled up at him.

'Any time babe' he said winking at her. Lauren watched him leave and saw Whitney and Lucy staring at her. They looked away quickly. Lauren drank the rest of her coffee and got up just as Lucy and Whitney came over to her.

'Oh are you leaving?' Lucy asked.

'Yeah it was just a quick break from an essay' she replied.

'You and Joey seem to be getting on okay' Lucy said as she sat down.

Lauren blinked 'any reason why we shouldn't be?' she frowned at her.

'No, of course not. I didn't mean anything by it, Lauren. I was just making conversation' Lucy shook her head.

'Sorry' Lauren said 'I'm just …having a bad morning…I'm sorry I can't stay, I need to study'

'Of course. Maybe we can go out together sometime?' Whitney suggested.

'Maybe' Lauren shrugged 'I'll see you later' she said as she walked out.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey walked to the car lot and made sure no one saw him go in.

'What's this about Max?' Joey asked him, seeing his uncle sitting at his desk.

'You know what this is about Joey. It's what it's always about….Lauren' he told him 'you and I need to have a little chat' he said nodding towards a chair. Joey looked at him, crossing his arms over his chest.

'I'm fine standing' he stated 'what about Lauren?'

'You do remember the state she was in when she left here, right?' Max asked him.

'Yeah, of course of I do' Joey frowned.

'And you know you had a part to play in that'

'Look Lauren and I have talked about what happened and I know I shouldn't have walked away from her like that, I should've tried to help her….'

'Yeah that may be true, but you can help her now' Max said to him.

'I'll do anything to help her' he nodded, wanting to prove to Max that he was willing to do anything for Lauren.

'Stay away from her, Joey… she doesn't need to get involved with you again, or anyone else right now for that matter' he told him 'She thinks she's done her stint in rehab and she's fine, but she's not. She's only been out of that place for 6 days….despite what she thinks she needs to focus on her recovery, be by herself for a while, she can do without any more drama's for a while' he said.

Joey blinked at him 'Look, I care about Lauren….'

'I know you do. That's why I am asking you to back off, please… she needs space and time. She's a ticking time bomb, the smallest thing could set her back, she could start drinking again, and you work in a club Joey. You start seeing each other again and she's going to want to see you and she'll come to the club and all it will take is one drink Joey… one drink ….. do you really want her to relapse?'

'No. You know I don't' Joey shook his head 'She's invited me over to dinner tonight'

'Make an excuse and don't come' Max told him 'Please Joey' he said to him.

'I don't know Max' Joey said with a frown. 'This doesn't feel right'

'If you really love her Joey you'll do this for her' Max told him with a frown as he stood up and walked out of the cabin.

Joey frowned and swallowed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and he sent a quick text.

Lauren looked up from her laptop as her phone beeped, she smiled when she saw it was a text from Joey.

"Lauren. Can't make dinner tonight, have to work. Sorry. Joey" she read, frowning she typed a response back to him and waited patiently for a reply.

It didn't come.

**AN: So in the space of one chapter, Joey and Lauren decided that they were going to give their relationship another go, but take things slowly. And then at the end of the chapter, Max is telling Joey that he needs to back off and leave Lauren be, telling him about the possibility of Lauren having a relapse. What do you think Joey is going to do? …. Are things over before they even started? Let me know what you think by leaving me a review. R&R as always.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen. **

For the next five days Joey seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. He wouldn't reply to Lauren's texts or answer her calls. She couldn't bring herself to go and see him because clearly he'd changed his mind about them, about her, he'd just told her what she wanted to hear. She threw herself even more into her college work and shut herself off in her room for hours at a time only remembering to eat when her dad, nan or Abi brought her something.

The three of them were worried about her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Monday afternoon she had another appointment at the counsellor's and she reluctantly went. The second meeting went as bad as the first although her counsellor was pleased that she'd attended some AA meetings.

Lauren made her way back towards the square, stopping off in a little café to get some coffee. She pulled out her phone and tried to call Joey, she really wanted to talk to him after her counselling session, but he didn't answer. She sent him a text message and pushed her phone into her pocket. After finishing her coffee she made her way back to the square and to R&R and let herself in and walked down the stairs, Joey was stocking the bar.

'Are you avoiding me?' she asked him. He looked up startled, but shrugged it off.

'No, of course not, just been busy with work, ain't I?' he replied and he turned his back on her to pick up another crate of beer.

'Do you want a hand?' she asked him.

'Do you really think that's a good idea Lauren?' he asked her with a small frown 'surrounding yourself with alcohol?' he added, even though Lauren knew what he was inferring.

'Well it's not like I'm going to drink it, is it?' she replied.

'I don't know Lauren, you tell me? Why put yourself in the situation to begin with?' he said, a little harsher than he intended to sound.

'Okay. Fine, next time I won't offer to help' she frowned at the way he was being with her.

'Did you come in here for a reason?' he asked her shortly.

She blinked 'I didn't know I needed one' she replied softly 'I'm sorry you're busy. I'll go'

Joey watched her turn to leave 'Lauren? What did you want?' he asked her with a gentler tone.

'Doesn't matter' she shook her head sadly.

Joey came out from behind the bar, not liking the way she was looking, 'Tell me' he said putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her around to face him.

'I just… I just wondered if you fancied doing something later, going to the cinema maybe?' she asked him 'or not, don't worry about it' she said seeing the blank expression on his face. 'It was just an idea'

'It's not that I don't want to Lauren I just… I think maybe we should take things easy for a while, you've only been back for five minutes, we don't want to rush things or you might end up…..' he trailed off.

'End up what?' she asked him, he didn't reply and she frowned at him 'End up what, Joey?'

'You know, Lauren' he shrugged as though he was afraid to say the words out loud 'Look I might not be exactly what you need right now and I don't want you to get worse again….' he trailed off.

'Joey, I promise you that you don't have to worry about me, I'm doing okay' she told him softly 'Look you are the one good thing that's happened to me'

'Well there's no harm in taking things slowly, is there? I mean you're not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere. We'd be stupid to rush into things, just to have them all go wrong' he told her.

'I don't want what happened to scare you. I'm still the same girl I used to be, just without the drinking' she told him unable to keep the shakiness out of her voice.

'I know babe' he said to her softly 'Look let's just take things one day at a time and see how it goes okay?' he asked as he walked back to the bar, leaving her standing there. It was killing him to do this, but he thought Max was right she needed to be by herself, to figure out who she was now, without the drinking and she couldn't do that if they started their relationship up again, no matter how much he wanted to. He wanted to do the best thing for her. Lauren felt her heart sinking, it sounded like Joey was giving her the brush off, trying to break it to her gently. She looked down briefly and then her eyes met his and he could see she was hurting.

'Okay' she whispered.

'Look I'm a bit snowed under at work at the moment, but once all this had calmed down a little, we can go from there' he told her.

'I'll see you around then' she said. Joey stared after her as she walked out of the club, wondering if he had done the right thing.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren returned home and tried to study but couldn't concentrate on anything long enough before her mind wandered back to the conversation with Joey in the club. After an hour she gave up and packed her books away, taking them up to her room, changing into her running clothes, plugging in her IPod. She made it down the steps of the house and was about to head towards the park when she heard her name yelled across the square, Max sprinted over to her,

'Where do you think you're going?' he asked her with a frown.

'I'm going for a run, dad' she told him 'I would have thought that would've been obvious'

'Aren't you supposed to be studying?'

'I can't concentrate' she replied 'there's too much going on in my head'

'Do you want to talk about it?' Max asked her 'maybe I can help?' he asked her.

Lauren looked at him 'It's about Joey' she said.

'What about Joey?' he looked at her expectantly. She sat on the steps and waited, Max eventually realised she wanted him to sit down too so he did. 'Well come on then, what about Joey?'

'I just… I wondered if he'd said anything to you' she asked him. 'I mean one minute we were going to make things work and now he just seems to be avoiding me' she told him 'I don't understand why' she looked at her dad. 'Has he talked to you?'

'Listen sweetheart, I'm sorry, I've spoken to Joey and he told me that you put him in an awkward position. He didn't want to say or do anything that would cause you to have a relapse or do something stupid, so he told you what you wanted to hear' he lied to her softly 'Joey told me he has a girlfriend, one that's he's been seeing for a while' Lauren frowned and stared at her trainers, feeling her heart breaking yet again. 'You know that Joey cares about you but he doesn't want you to be hurt or upset' he paused 'you need to stop calling him and texting him, stop pestering the poor boy. He's moved on, Lauren, and you need to let him go and do the same yourself'

She swallowed back her tears and nodded her head 'thanks for telling me the truth, dad' she told him. She stood up 'I'm going for a run and then I'm going to an AA meeting, I'll be back at 8:00pm'

'Okay' he nodded his head.

'We'll have your favourite takeout for dinner' he smiled at her, she forced herself to smile back. He watched as she put her headphones in and headed towards the park.

Max felt a wave of guilt as he watched her go. She was good at hiding her emotions, something she'd learnt to do as a child; it was another thing he and Tanya had taught her. He wanted to do what was best for her and right now he honestly thought he was. He would talk to her again later about Joey, after dinner, just the two of them, curled up on the sofa together like they used to when she was small.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

On her way back from her run she stopped at a newsagent, just to get an orange juice. She looked up at the shelf next to her and saw rows of alcohol, she licked her lips and reached out, running her fingers down the front of a bottle of vodka. She swallowed and checked her pockets for money and pulled out £20. She had enough money to buy half a bottle. Lauren snatched it off the shelf and took it to the counter and paid for it. Once she was back on the square Lauren walked towards the children's park near Phil's garage, the one where Joey had taken her, the one and only time he told her he loved her. She sat down on the tyre swing, holding the bag in her hands trying not to look at it.

Lauren's mouth watered as she imagined the taste of the vodka in her mouth, remembering the feeling it gave her as it slid down her throat. She knew it would take away the pain she was feeling now. She knew it would stop her from feeling anything.

Unbeknownst to Lauren one of her neighbours had just walked past on their way to their house, they saw Lauren sitting on the swings. They turned to go home and frowned, turning back and walking towards her. They heard the rustling of a bag and the unmistakeable sound of a bottle top being unscrewed. Lauren was so caught up in her own struggle to drink or not to drink that she didn't hear anyone walk up to her. A large hand closed around the bottle and she raised her frightened and conflicted eyes to look into the face of someone she didn't expect to see. She relinquished the bottle and they took the lid and screwed the cap on tightly

'I think you need to come with me' they told her. She swallowed, her eyes filling with tears and she nodded at them.

**AN: So Joey's still being distant and cool with her. She thought he had changed his mind about being with her, because he was scared of her relapsing. And then Max told her the truth. His version of the truth that is. He told her that Joey has another girlfriend and was only being nice to her. Heartbroken once more, she turns to the only thing that she knows will help. Vodka. But someone has seen her, seen how close she was to breaking. Any ideas as to who Lauren's mystery saviour is? Let me know what you think. Leave me a review! R&R as always **


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Just to clear a few things up. This story is complete. Written in full. There is and will not be Jake in this story. **

**Chapter Fourteen.**

Much to Joey's surprise, Lauren stopped texting him after the day she came to see him in the club and he hadn't seen her around for a while, he wasn't lying about being busy at work and when he had text her on a few occasions asking if she was okay, she just replied simply with "Yes". He wanted to see her, needed to see her in fact. He knew she would probably be at the house so he sprinted across the square and rang the bell. Abi opened the door.

'Joey. Hi!' she said loudly.

'Hey Abs, is your sister in?' he asked her.

'Er, no she's not sorry' she said shaking her head.

'Do you know where she is?'

'She said something about a counselling session after college' she shrugged 'She said she wouldn't be back until 8:00pm'

'Oh okay. I'll catch her later' he said unable to hide his disappointment 'can you tell her I stopped by?'

'Sure' Abi smiled at him before she shut the door. She walked into the lounge and looked at Lauren, her hands on her hips. 'So do you want to tell me why I've just lied to Joey?' she asked him.

'Because I need to study, I'll see him later' she said with a shrug 'shouldn't you be going out with Jay?'

'Yeah, I know, I'm going' she said 'Are you sure you'll be okay?'

'Yes, Abi' Lauren sighed 'I will be fine. I do not need a baby sitter, okay?'

'Okay I'm sorry. You've just been quiet lately that's all, I'm worried about you' Abi told her.

Lauren looked at her little sister and she forced a smile onto her face 'I'm fine, Abi really, go out and have fun with Jay'

'Okay bye' she grinned at her. As soon as Lauren heard the door shut she packed up her books and pushed them into her bag.

She raced upstairs and got herself ready to go out, then went over to Whitney's.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour later the girls walked into the club. Lauren breathed a sigh of relief seeing Joey wasn't behind the bar. 'You guys go grab a seat, I'll get the drinks and bring them over' Lauren said, Whitney and Lucy exchanged glances but did as she asked.

'Yes what can I get you?' the barman asked her

'Two vodka and cokes and a coke with a splash of cranberry juice please?' she said. He returned moments later with the drinks and Lauren paid for them, then took the glasses over to the table. 'Okay, vodka and coke for you both and a coke and cranberry juice for me' she said as she sat down. 'I'm really glad you asked me to come out tonight' she told them both. 'I'm going stir crazy sitting at home'

'Are you sure you're up for this?' Lucy asked her 'because we can go somewhere else'

'Yes, please just act normally around me okay?' she pleaded with them both 'and here is fine'

Whitney nodded and she picked up her drink and took a sip. Joey came into the club to start work and frowned when he saw the girls together. Lauren got up to go to the toilet and when she came back Joey was waiting for her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the office

'What the hell do you think you're doing here?' he snapped, frowning at her angrily 'You shouldn't be here. You need to leave'

'I'm sorry I didn't realise you owned the club' Lauren snapped back at him, a matching frown on her face 'I'm here having a coke with my friends' she told him turning to leave, he grabbed her arm.

'Why are you making this harder for yourself, hey?' he asked her 'Let me take you home' he led her towards the stairs.

'Why? So I can sit in the house by myself?' she asked him 'staring at the cupboard that holds a full bottle of scotch? I need to do normal things, Joey. I need to get my life back. I know I'm an alcoholic okay? I know I can't drink even one mouthful because I'll throw away all the hard work I've done, drying out, getting sober, staying sober' she said, her frown deepening as she stared at him 'and since when do you care anyway, Joey, hey?' she stormed out of the office and over to her friends, she grabbed her bag and coat.

'Lauren, what's wrong?' Lucy asked her standing up as she saw Joey coming towards them an angry scowl on his face.

'Lauren!' Joey called as she moved through the crowds towards the door, ignoring him. She made her way outside and headed towards her house. Once inside she pushed the door closed and she paced the floor, feeling herself getting more and more anxious, her hands were shaking and she looked at the cupboard, temptation beckoning her over to it. She used all her strength to force the cupboard open, grabbing the bottle and taking it into the kitchen. Swiping a glass off the side, she sat down at the table.

**AN: Abi was right to be worried about Lauren. Finding out that Joey has another girlfriend and lied to her about it about their future has pushed her a little too far, and then throw on top of that she thinks that he's pretending to care about her…. Well now she's on the edge. Is she going to lose her sobriety, all the hard work she has done. Or will she be strong enough to resist? Read on to find out. Let me know what you think so far. R&R as always.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen.**

Lauren had no idea how long she had been sitting at the table staring at the bottle of scotch in front of her, she took slow deep breaths and then picked up her phone, scrolling through the numbers until she found what she was looking for. She didn't realise she hadn't quite closed the door or that Joey felt bad about what had happened and had come after her. He walked into the house and was about to call out when he heard her on the phone. He couldn't hear everything she was saying, he didn't want to intrude so he hovered by the front door.

'Hello darling, I was just thinking about you' her mother's reassuring voice filled her ears.

'Mum' she sobbed down the phone.

'Lauren, oh no, don't cry, what's wrong?' she asked her calmly, 'Sweetheart don't cry, talk to me' she continued. 'What's happened?'

'I need you, mum' she whispered 'I thought I could do this but I can't… please mum'

'Have you had a drink, Lauren?' she asked her.

'No…..but I want one' she told her hands were shaking and it was all she could do not to reach for the bottle and pour herself a drink 'you were right, I shouldn't have come back here, there's nothing for me here…. I should have stayed with you and Oscar…..started over….' Lauren's breath was coming in gasps.

'Lauren calm down, you're going to have another anxiety attack…. Take slow deep breaths' she instructed her, Lauren did as she asked and once her breathing had returned to normal, Tanya felt herself relax, 'There, that's better, now tell me what's been going on'

Lauren looked at the bottle in front of her and she closed her eyes. 'Joey ….'

'I might have known this would have something to do with Joey… what's he done now? Have you two had a fight..?'

'He's not interested mum' she said to her 'I mean he said he was… I thought he was … at first and we talked, well I talked to him and he listened and I thought we were going to try and work things out take things slowly and then suddenly he's done a complete U-turn, he won't return my calls or texts….' she trailed off and sobbed a little more before she spoke again. 'I went to the club with Lucy and Whitney to have a break from all the studying and Joey was there and he freaked out, practically ordered me out of the club and told me I shouldn't be there, that I was putting too much temptation in my way…. Dad told me last week... Joey has a new girlfriend….Everyone's walking around me like I could shatter any second. Dad's told me that I need to keep away from drama and temptation and then he has a bottle of scotch in the cupboard…..they're all expecting me to fail at this mum…. And I don't want to fail. I don't want to be that Lauren anymore…. But I don't know who this Lauren is… she's miserable and lonely and the old Lauren really really wants a drink' she sobbed down the phone. Joey could hear sobbing coming from the kitchen, he was worried about Lauren so he crept forward until he was just outside the kitchen door.

'Where is the scotch now?' her mother asked her staying calm despite her anxiety at how bad her daughter sounded.

'On the kitchen table…'

'Where are you?'

'In the kitchen' Lauren replied.

'Is there anyone in the house with you?'

'No' she shook her head and she sniffed.

'Sweetheart don't cry, put me on speaker' she told her daughter. Lauren did as she asked 'am I on speaker?'

'Yes' she replied.

'Good. Now listen to me, Lauren, I want you to take the bottle, unscrew the cap and pour it down the sink' she told her.

'I don't know if I can…'

'Yes you can. I know you can. I know just how strong you can be, Lauren and I know you don't feel it right now darling, but you are very strong and I've never been more proud of you for working through your illness and coming out the other side. I'm right here with you Lauren. Pick up the bottle, unscrew the cap and pour it down the sink' she repeated. Lauren picked up the bottle and walked to the sink and undid the cap, Joey could see her hands were shaking and he held his breath, Lauren stared at the bottle and licked her lips as she imagined the taste of the bitter liquid in her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she tipped the bottle and started to pour the amber liquid down the sink. Once it was gone she dropped the empty bottle into the sink. Joey felt a rush of love for her.

'I've done it' Lauren told her mother.

'See! There I told you you could do it' she could hear the smile in Tanya's voice 'I'm proud of you darling'

'I'm sorry' Lauren said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

'For being strong, for being able to pour that drink away when 2 months ago you wouldn't have been able to?' she asked her 'I am not even there with you I'm nearly 200 miles away'

'I wish you were here. I wish I were there with you and Oscar' Lauren whispered 'At least Oscar was honest with me'

'He told you your yellow skin made you look like Big Bird' Tanya said to her with a giggle. Lauren giggled too and then burst into a fresh bout of tears. Tanya wanted nothing more than to hold her in her arms, to soothe and console her distraught daughter.

'No one here is honest with me, mum. Dad doesn't want me to leave the house, I have to practically beg him to let me go to the counselling sessions by myself. He doesn't want me running, or going out with my friends, he's gone out with Kirsty tonight, Abi's out with Jay, Nan's gone to the pub and I snuck out to go clubbing with Whitney and Lucy after I spent two hours convincing them both I could be in a club without needing to have a drink. All I wanted to do was catch up and have some fun, a change of scene. No one can stand to be around me and I don't like the counsellor here….she got cross with me because I hadn't been to an AA meeting since I got back here, and she wants me to bring my family to the counselling sessions, I can't take them…..you know what dad and Nan will be like….'

'You know you can come back here anytime you want to darling' Tanya told her 'I can pay for a ticket for you'

'Really? You won't be disappointed if I come back?' she asked her in a small voice

'No of course not. Not of that's what you really want' she said 'Maybe you need to try to talk to your father, talk to Joey'

'I've tried, dad just mumbles something about needing to get to the garage and Joey won't reply to my texts or phone calls. Maybe he doesn't like this version of me'

'Then it's his loss isn't it hey?' she asked her daughter 'Are you sleeping Lauren?'

'No not really, a couple of hours a night at the most' she told her.

'You know what Mike told you'

'I know but I can't sleep here….at rehab if I couldn't sleep there was always someone there I could go and talk to …. There's no one here to talk to…' she sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

'You can call me Lauren. Anytime, day or night'

'No I can't, you have Oscar to take care of' she said 'It's not fair on you…or him.' Lauren sniffed and she got some kitchen roll and she blew her nose and wiped her eyes, a movement in the hallway caught her eye and she gasped. Joey had the decency to look guilty that he had been caught.

'What is it?' Tanya asked her suddenly worried.

'Joey's here' she said and she picked up the phone and took it off speaker phone and she turned her back on him.

'How long has he been there?'

'I don't know' she whispered.

'So you don't know how much he has heard? Seen?'

'No' Lauren shook her head, knowing her mother couldn't see the movement

'Talk to him, Lauren' she said softly 'Call me back later okay? Anytime' she repeated.

'Okay' she said

'I love you, Lauren'

'I love you too, mum' she replied, 'Tell Oscar that Big Bird said hi and give him a kiss from me'

'I will, bye darling' her mum replied. Lauren hung up the phone and she turned looking at Joey questioningly.

**AN: At least Lauren had the sense to call her mother when things got too hard for her, and Tanya's offered to pay for her to go back to Devon. Will Joey tell her the truth about how much he heard and saw? Will this be their path back to each other? Let me know what you think. Leave me a review. Thank you for all the reviews you have given me so far. To all the guest reviewers I can't reply to you individually but your comments mean a lot, so thank you. R&R as always. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen.**

'How much of that did you hear?' Lauren whispered.

'Enough' he replied as he walked into the room, Lauren's eyes darted to the bottle in the sink and she turned away from him, picking it up, Joey could see her hands were still shaking, 'Why don't you let me do that?' he asked her.

'It's just an empty bottle Joey, I can manage' she snapped, putting the bottle in the recycling bin, leaving the lid on the side. 'I think you should go'

'I think we need to talk' he said moving towards her. Lauren manoeuvred around the table and slipped out of the room, down the hallway to the front door and opened it wide waiting for him to leave.

Joey sighed 'Lauren, babe, please' he said as he followed her.

'Don't call me that. I'm not your babe. Joey' she frowned 'are you going to leave or do I have to call the Police?' she asked him and her eyes met his. He could see they were dull, lifeless. He knew that staying away from her as Max asked him to, had done more damage than good. He moved to the door, pushing his hands into his pockets.

'Your dad told me you needed space' he told her.

'Yeah, well I'm going back to Devon so I guess I will have all the space I need and so will you'

'You're going to leave?'

'At least mum trusts me, at least she wants to be around me; she understands what I need' she told him 'Will you get out please?' she raised her voice.

'I don't want to leave you like this, you're upset' he said to her 'why don't you let me make you a coffee or we could go for a walk..?'

'I don't want anything from you. Just get out, Joey!' she said and she pushed him towards the doorstep. 'Just go…' she shouted at him, she managed to get him outside and slammed the door shut, he heard the deadbolt turn.

Lauren retrieved her phone from the kitchen and took it upstairs to her room where she curled up on her bed and cried. A couple of hours later, she got up to change into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. She got up at 5:00am the next morning after a fitful night's sleep. After a brief shower, she dressed and headed out of the house in her running gear, her iPod on as she started to run.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Once she got to the park she did 3 circuits and then she dropped down onto the grass on her back, fighting to get her breath. Joey saw her lying on the ground and he ran over to her.

'Are you okay?' he asked, crouching down beside her.

'I'm…fine' she gasped.

'Lying down that like makes it harder to breath' he told her. Lauren groaned, knowing he was right, she got to her feet and walked to the bench, sitting down, Joey looked at her, putting his hands on his hips, 'When did you start to run?' he asked her.

'In rehab' she replied.

'Maybe we can run together?' he suggested.

'That will be hard to do with me being in Devon' she replied 'I'm leaving remember?'

'You were serious about that' he raised his eyebrows surprised.

'There's nothing to keep me here. It's not as though everyone is overjoyed that I'm back. You're all just waiting for me to screw up so you can all say you told me so, that I got out of rehab too early. Lucy and Whitney can't stand to be around me, and you… don't even get me started on you'

'Me?' he frowned 'What did I do?'

'You know you could have just told me the truth Joey. I thought you of all people would have the decency to be honest with me.'

'Lauren I have been honest with you' he frowned in confusion.

'No you haven't' she shook her head 'you don't know the meaning of the word' she stood up and began to walk away from him.

'What are you talking about? What haven't I been honest about?'

'Leading me on, letting me believe there was a chance for us… when all the time you have a girlfriend. I can't believe I have been so stupid. I thought I meant something to you'

'You do. You know you do' he said to her 'Look. I don't have a girlfriend, where did you get that idea from?'

'Save it Joey, dad told me everything'

'Max? Max told you?' he went after her 'What did he say? Lauren?' he grabbed her arm, pulling her round to face him

'He said you felt sorry for me, pitied me' she said to him 'he said you'd told him I kept texting you and calling you and I was getting clingy and you weren't interested' she told him as hot angry tears rolled down her cheeks. 'He told me you asked him to tell me to leave you alone, that the way I was behaving was embarrassing' she said wrenching her arm out of his grasp, she stumbled but somehow managed to keep her balance 'I should've listened to Derek' she spat at him 'when he first warned me off you. You are nothing but a low life piece of scum, a cheat and a liar. Like father like son, hey, Joseph' she ran away from him heading back to the square, leaving Joey stunned and shell shocked staring after her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren got back to the house and made a brief phone call as she headed up to her room, before making another call to order a taxi. An hour later the taxi pulled up outside the house and sounded its horn, Lauren carried her bags down the steps towards the waiting car. Lucy and Whitney saw her from across the square and they exchanged worried glances.

'Lauren!' Lucy called out, Lauren looked up at her, but ignored her and quickly got into the taxi shutting the door behind her as she gave the driver her destination. She saw Joey run round the corner as the taxi passed the Vic. He called after her but the taxi kept moving.

If Lauren had turned around she would have seen the grief stricken look on his face. She would have seen for herself just how much he loved her, but she didn't. She didn't turn around once.

Once the taxi was out of sight he turned his attention to the car lot, his fists clenching angrily by his sides as he opened the door, letting it slam against the side of the building. Max looked up in surprise.

'Are you happy now?' Joey growled at him.

'Morning Joey. Get out the wrong side of the bed, did we?' Max said in amusement.

'You think this is funny. She's gone' he told him.

'Who?' Max frowned at him.

'Who? Lauren that's who. She's packed up her things and gone. Back to Devon'

'What, no she hasn't' Max said to him, shaking his head.

'I've just seen her Max. In the back of a black cab' he told him 'I did what you asked me to do, even though I knew deep down it was wrong, but I trusted you. I trusted that you were only looking out for Lauren…. But you just made things worse, didn't you hey? How could you keep a bottle of scotch in the house with a recovering alcoholic and then have the audacity to tell her she needs to keep herself out of temptations way? How could you be so selfish and spiteful to tell her I have a girlfriend, that I thought she was clingy? That I wasn't interested. I love her Max! I love her and you've driven her away. Well I hope you are pleased with yourself' he snapped at him and slammed the door shut behind him as he left.

Max picked up his phone and he dialled a number. 'Tan? It's me' he said.

**AN: So Lauren's gone. And Joey blames Max. Lauren is clueless to what Max said to Joey and she thinks he doesn't love her. She feels as though there is nothing left for her in Walford anymore. She's made her apologies, which is what she had planned to do, so now she can move on and start over somewhere new. Somewhere she has the support and understanding she needs because it appears to be severely lacking in Walford. What is Tanya going to tell Max? What is Joey going to do now that he's lost Lauren again? And who was Lauren's mysterious saviour? All will be revealed…..Thanks for all your review so far! I'm stunned at how much you are all emjoying this story….Leave me a review. As always R&R**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**.

After the phone call with Tanya, Max rushed home, checking Lauren's room for himself, looking to see is she had left a note but he couldn't find one. He frowned and went in search of Joey. He hammered on the door of number 23 loudly, the door was finally opened by Michael.

'Maxwell, what can I do for you?' he asked him

'I need to see Joey'

'Joseph isn't here' Michael said 'Sorry' he started to close the door

'Can you tell him to call me when he comes back? It's important'

'I will pass the message on' Michael nodded as he shut the door. Max looked around the square wondering where Lauren could be, where Joey was. He glanced towards the Vic and went inside.

Joey was sitting at a table with Alice. 'Joey. What exactly did Lauren say?' he asked him

'I've already told you' Joey replied with a frown 'She's gone back to Devon'

'I've just got off the phone with Tanya. Lauren didn't call her, other than last night. She's not expecting her; and Lauren doesn't have the money to get there; or anywhere for that matter'

'What do you want me to do?' Joey looked up at him, more alert as he realised the seriousness of the situation.

'You could be out there looking for her, calling her, doing something?' Max sounded desperate but Joey could understand that feeling because he felt the same way, he was just hiding it a little better than his uncle.

Something he said irked him though and he couldn't stop himself from commenting on it. 'Wait a minute, you told me to stay away from her and now you're telling me you want me to go after her?' Joey frowned at him.

'What? You don't care that she's missing? You told me you loved her a few minutes ago and now in you're here playing happy families with Alice'

'Well thanks to you, she's not returning my calls. Her phone is off. What exactly do you want me to do? She could be anywhere Max' Joey snapped at him, standing up 'and the only person to blame here is you. You were the one that lied to her, not me' he snapped and stormed out of the pub. He walked to the club, went inside and started to bottle up. Sharon came out of her office, surprised to see Joey there.

'Joey, what are you doing here?' she asked him 'You're not due on shift for another couple of hours'

'I just need to keep busy' he replied 'Lauren's gone'

'Gone?' Sharon frowned 'what do you mean gone?'

Joey sighed and explained things to her. When he'd done Sharon looked at him 'Max was probably just worried that getting involved in a relationship again would just be too much for Lauren. He shouldn't have lied to her though' she added with a frown 'You know her Joey… where would she go?'

'I don't know…. Max said she hadn't got any money, but she was in a black cab so she must have got some from somewhere'

'Or she was meeting someone who does' Sharon said.

'And I have no idea who that could be' Joey said 'we haven't talked for a while...thanks to Max' he added with a sigh.

'She'll turn her phone on at some point. She's a teenage girl, she can't live without her phone for long' Sharon told him softly 'I'm sure she'll be okay'

Joey sighed 'I hope so' he said 'in the meantime there's nothing I can do but worry'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later that night, Lauren sighed as she rolled over on the bed 'How do you feel?' she heard someone ask her.

'Okay' she said and sat up. She looked around the room, it was dark 'how long have I been asleep?'

'8 hours' the person replied 'you were practically dead on your feet when you got here'

Lauren nodded 'I haven't been sleeping more than a couple of hours a night'

'He's waiting downstairs for you, says that there's a meeting that you need to go to'

'I'll be down in ten minutes, I'll just freshen up a little' she said.

'Okay, I'll let him know'

Ten minutes later Lauren walked down the stairs and into the large room, 'Thank you for doing this' she said and she looked at her unlikely saviour who had found her just as she was about to start drinking in the children's park, who'd taken her to an AA meeting, who'd understood the constant temptation. Mainly because he'd been through it himself. He knew exactly what Lauren was going through, what she was feeling and how hard it was for her. And now he'd brought her here. A getaway from her life on Albert Square. She's realised she wasn't ready to go back to her mother's just yet. He had told her she needed to learn to stand on her own two feet and this was the place she was going to do it. It worked for him and he had a feeling it would work for her too.

'Are you ready?' he asked her in his trade mark low gravelly voice.

'Not really' she shook her head.

'Too bad we're going' he said with a soft chuckle.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour later they returned and Lauren watched as he moved behind the bar, getting them both an orange juice.

'How do you do this?' she asked him.

'Practice. Will power. Strength' he said to her as he sat down beside her.

'Twice I've almost turned back to the bottle in the last 6 days, after nearly 70 days sobriety'

'Almost' he replied 'that's the key word here. Almost' he said 'The fact is, you didn't' he told her 'I can't tell you the number of times I'm tempted, the number of times that I have fallen off the wagon….it happens' he said with a shrug 'This is an illness, staying sober is all about having coping mechanisms in place, it's all about the support system you have in place. You need to make sure you have someone to turn to when you get really tempted. You go to an AA meeting, you go for a run, you talk to your counsellor, you call me, you do whatever it takes to take your mind off how it would feel to have that taste of alcohol in your mouth; you force yourself to remember the pain you caused when you were drunk, the pain you were in. You remember all that and it makes you strong' he told her as she picked up her glass and took a sip. 'You can't avoid going to the pub or going to parties because there could be alcohol there, temptation is always going to be there, whether you choose to give in to it or fight it...well that's up to you' he said softly.

'Are you sure you don't mind doing this?' she asked him 'You were the last person I would've ever thought would help me'

'I know what you're going through, how hard it can be' he said to her 'Max and your family, they mean well but all they're doing is putting more pressure on you when it's already hard enough' he told her 'I've spoken with mum and you can stay here for a few days. There's a list of times for the AA meetings on the fridge in the kitchen, and she is a pretty good listener' he said 'you need me, you call me. I can be back here in an hour' he asked her and she nodded.

'Thank you' she said with a small smile

'You'll be okay here' he said softly.

'You won't tell anyone?' she asked him.

'If they ask me directly, I won't lie' he told her 'but who would think to ask me where Lauren Branning is hey?' he asked her.

She smiled and shook her head 'No one' she replied 'Thank you for doing this for me Phil' she said.

'Anytime' he said 'Well, I'd better get back to Walford' he drank the rest of his orange juice and put the glass on the table. 'And think about calling Joey… get his side of the story'

Lauren looked at him with a frown 'Since when have you been a big fan of Joey Branning?' she asked him.

'Since he punched Derek in the face' Phil said with a grin. 'Anyone who does that gets my seal of approval'

Lauren watched him leave and she sat in the bar alone for a few minutes. She pulled her phone out and looked through the pictures, not hearing someone sit next to her.

'He's a good looking boy' Peggy said.

Lauren glanced at her 'Yeah he is, knows it too' she added with a smile.

'Does he have a name?'

'Joey. Joey Branning. My ex' she sighed 'my cousin'

'Sounds complicated' Peggy said.

'Throw in Lucy Beale and then you've got complicated'

'Now I'm intrigued, how about we go upstairs and I make us a cup of tea while you tell me all about it, hey?' she suggested.

'Make it a coffee and you have a deal' Lauren said.

'Coffee it is' Peggy smiled.

**AN: So Lauren didn't go to Devon and her saviour was Phil Mitchell. How many of you figured that out! Max has dug himself a bit of a hole now hasn't he? How long will Lauren stay with Peggy? Will she take Phil's advice and talk to Joey? All will be revealed. Remember let me know what you think about Revelry. Leave me a review! R&R as always**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen.**

Phil walked into the club to go over the books and heard Joey talking to someone, he paused on the stairs.

'Lauren, it's me…again, please babe will you call me or text me; just let me know that you're okay, I'm really worried about you. Please babe…' he sighed and rang off.

Joey looked up as Phil came into the club 'Is Sharon in?' he asked Joey.

'No' Joey said shaking his head 'You're here for the books?' he asked.

'Yeah' he nodded.

Joey walked through to the office, Phil followed him inside. Joey unlocked the safe, took the books out and handed them to Phil.

'You should find they all tally' he told him.

'Did you do these?' he asked and Joey nodded.

'I asked Sharon for some more responsibility and she gave me the books' he told him 'I made some suggestions about how you could save money on the suppliers too' he said.

Phil flipped the first book open and saw the proposal Joey had written 'Alright I'll take a look' he told him. Joey locked the safe, pocketed the keys and walked back through to the bar. Phil followed him. 'Everything okay?'

'Just worried about Lauren' he replied as he keyed his password into the till 'I just want to know she's okay, that she's not out there drinking or lying in a hospital or worse' he said with a sigh 'I just can't think where she would go, I've looked loads of places'

'I'm sure she's okay' Phil said 'She probably just needs some time to clear her head'

Joey nodded 'I get that but I just wish she'd call or text, talk to me'

Phil looked down at the books 'Tell Sharon that I'll get these back to her later okay?'

'Yeah will do' Joey nodded.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Peggy handed Lauren a coffee and she sat down on the oversized sofa, 'So Joey Branning, your cousin, your ex? Is he the reason that you're here?' she asked her.

Lauren shook her head 'No' she told her 'well not the only reason. I just… everyone is putting too much pressure on me, telling me I shouldn't be trying to do so much…one of the things I learnt in rehab is keeping myself busy makes me not have time to think about drinking….not as often as I would if I didn't have anything to do' she said 'I go for runs in the morning, sometimes again in the afternoon. I got back into college and I've been focussing on all the work I need to do to catch up. I've apologised to everyone my drinking affected. Joey was the hardest, he blamed…...blames himself, even though I told him I drank too much before I even knew him. He still thinks somehow it's his fault, that instead of breaking up with me he should've helped me' Lauren told her. She sighed and took a sip of coffee.

'Where does Lucy Beale fit into all this?' Peggy asked her.

'She's Joey's ex too, before me and after me I guess' Lauren frowned as she thought about it. 'Joey and I fell for each other when he was still seeing Lucy… well I guess we fell for each other before he started seeing Lucy, but with us being cousins and all…..' she shrugged 'Nothing happened between me and Joey until after he and Lucy had broken up. But I guess the main reason he broke up with her was because he wanted to be with me' Lauren said 'Joey and I started to admit our feelings for one another and we started to see each other, sneaking around, keeping our relationship a secret. Lucy was devastated when he broke up with her. And all the time I was telling her Joey wasn't worth it, that she should find someone she deserved to be with, someone better than Joey, I was seeing him behind her back' Lauren explained. 'Things were complicated with us being related. It didn't bother us but we were worried about how our families were going to react when they found out so we kept it a secret. It wasn't hard to do, I mean we're close in ages, we like the same things, we hung out together all the time so no one suspected anything' Lauren paused to take a sip of coffee and then put the cup down on the coffee table and sat back on the sofa, her phone beeped and glancing down at it, she saw she had another voicemail from Joey. 'Uncle Derek found out first...'

'Derek?' Peggy asked with a frown.

'Joey's dad. He wasn't thrilled with the idea, threatened to tell mum and dad. So Joey and I decided we were going to leave Walford, he stole Derek's car and let me drive it, he didn't know I'd been drinking, I wasn't drunk though…' she said looking up at Peggy. 'I ended up crashing the car through a shop window, almost killing us both' Lauren frowned and sighed as she recalled how close they came to losing each other. 'Derek told Joey that he had to say he was driving because I'd been drinking, and he did' Lauren said. 'I didn't know at the time, but Derek then used the fact Joey had lied to the Police to blackmail him into breaking up with me…..he just said it was over, that it was a really big mistake and he walked out of the hospital. I tried to see him, talk to him when I was released but he wouldn't have anything to do with me, so I turned back to drinking, more than I would normally have drunk, being without Joey made me miserable, after everything we'd been through to be together I couldn't believe he would just call things off so quickly. I got really drunk Christmas Eve and blurted everything out to dad, wrecked the house, tore down the Christmas Tree, mum and dad were furious with me, with each other, with Joey, with Derek…..it was a huge mess' she told Peggy. 'Dad invited Joey to Christmas dinner and we talked, Joey explained everything to me, why he'd done what he did and we decided that we still wanted to be together.' she glanced at her phone again 'Derek and dad got into a huge fight about it, Derek had a heart attack and died and Joey ….. Joey took off again' Lauren paused to take a drink. 'He came back a few days before Derek's funeral a few weeks later, and when I tried to talk to him he was off with me. So I went to the pub' she said with a shrug, looking at Peggy.

'Its okay darling' she said to her 'take your time'

'Joey came looking for me, I'd already drunk quite a bit, we had a fight and I told him he was just like Derek, which is something he hates….the truth is he really isn't anything like Derek at all, he told me he had come back to Walford…. for Alice. That she needed him' Lauren told her and she smiled 'and then he said "but you're what I need" '. Peggy smiled too, 'Joey persuaded me to go for a walk and we sat down at the war memorial and talked. He told me he was planning on staying in Walford, that it was where he needed to be. He said we would be happy and then he kissed me.' Lauren sighed 'Lucy saw us and she was hurt, betrayed. When I next saw her I pretended I wasn't really that into Joey, thinking she wouldn't be so hurt but if anything it upset her more because she was still in love with him, she was hoping they would get back together…..Lucy and I kind of fell out then… mum and dad were fighting more, his ex-wife turned up only it turned out she wasn't his ex because Derek didn't post the divorce papers that she'd signed and she refused to sign more. Everything was just falling apart. So I drank, to numb the pain I guess' she told Peggy, she leant forward picking up her coffee. She took a sip and leant back, holding it in her hands. 'Joey was busy at work and trying to help his sister grieve for their father, even though Joey hated him, he didn't like to see Alice upset, so we weren't really spending that much time together. I drank because I was missing him, because I was bored, because there was nothing else to do, because the day ended in a Y…..' she looked down. 'Joey asked me to stop drinking several times, we had huge fights about it, but we always made up a few hours later. He ran in the London Marathon this year' Lauren said and Peggy saw the pride on her face '4 hours and 56 minutes' she smiled 'and I missed it, I missed it because I was sleeping off a hangover. Joey was really pissed off at me, because it was important to him and I didn't turn up. Lucy did though, she was there to cheer him on. We made up though and I promised Joey that I would stop drinking, and I meant it, I was going to….until Lucy spiked my drinks. I got drunk and made a scene, embarrassed Joey and he broke up with me' Lauren said 'Funny thing was though in the morning I didn't remember anything' she said and she looked at Peggy 'Joey had to break up with me all over again. I begged him not to, I told him that Lucy spiked my drinks but he wouldn't have it, he didn't believe me, I mean who would?' she said and she looked down into her coffee cup. 'My drinking got worse, my behaviour got worse, mum and dad's constant bickering got worse….Lucy kept telling me Joey was happier now that he was back with her…. Everything was just too much for me and I kept drinking to forget about it' she told the older woman. 'Then everyone was on at me about my drinking…. So I drank more…it was a vicious circle of events that gradually spiralled out of control and I didn't realise it was so bad. I was so out of control and I didn't care' she shook her head and looked at Peggy. 'I ended up collapsing and being taken to the hospital, diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis and jaundice. The pain was unbearable, the itching too, it was driving me mad. But still, all I wanted was a drink. Even when the doctors told me that one more drink in the state I was in could kill me, I didn't care. I just wanted a drink. Of course it wouldn't have stopped at one, I would've had two, three…..' she trailed off. 'I was angry at everyone when I came out of hospital. I blamed everyone, the things I said to Joey…' she looked at Peggy and she could see the young girl looked ashamed. 'He was all I thought about in rehab. He was the one thing that kept me going, I'd convinced myself that I would get out and see him and everything would be okay, that he would forgive me, take me back and we would be happy, like he promised' Lauren trailed off again.

'And he didn't want that?' Peggy asked her after a few minutes silence. Lauren looked up at her briefly.

'He said he did at first…he said he would be there for me this time, he said he was proud of me for getting treatment, for being sober. But then he started avoiding me. Not returning my phone calls, telling me he was busy, that we shouldn't rush things; he told me I needed to concentrate on my recovery and not on him. I brought a bottle of vodka that day. Phil stopped me as I was about to take a drink, took me to an AA meeting. Phil stood up at the front of the room and told his story in front of me and a roomful of strangers. Afterwards he said he would be my sponsor and that anytime, day or night if I felt like I needed a drink, I was to call him and he would be there for me. And for a while I was okay again until dad told me that Joey had a girlfriend, that I was being clingy, that Joey felt embarrassed and he didn't want to get back into a relationship with me and I…. I needed a drink again. I nearly drank some scotch but I called mum. She talked me through pouring it down the sink and I did. I told her I wanted to go back to Devon to be with her and Oscar, to have a fresh start… the next morning I'd thought about it and I called Phil instead and here I am' she said and she looked at Peggy to see her reaction.

'And no one knows you're here?'

'Nope. Joey thinks I've gone back to Devon' she replied 'and dad's probably figured out that I'm not there, called mum, argued….' She trailed off with a frown.

'Do you have some more pictures?' she asked her changing the subject, Lauren nodded, she scrolled through her phone and handed it to Peggy.

'He's a very handsome young man' Peggy said again 'I can see why you love him' she scrolled to another picture, one of the two of them together 'You look good together' she smiled 'happy' she added as Lauren's phone beeped, she handed it back to her 'Is that Joey?' Peggy asked her as Lauren looked at the phone, she nodded 'he seems pretty keen to get in touch with you. He wouldn't be doing that if he wasn't worried about you, if he didn't care about you' she told her softly. 'That's not the actions of a man who has a girlfriend is it hey?' she asked her 'you know what I think you should do?' she asked, Lauren shook her head. 'I think you should at least put the poor boy out of his misery' she told her 'let him know you are somewhere safe. You don't have to tell him where, just that you are staying with some friends for a few days to get things straight in your head' Peggy told her squeezing her knee, 'well I'd better go show my face downstairs. Make sure everything is going okay' she left the room leaving Lauren alone with her thoughts, thinking about the advice Peggy had given her.

**AN: Peggy Mitchell has done what Lauren needed someone to do since she got out of rehab. She listened to her, and Lauren had a lot to get off her chest. Joey's worried about her and Peggy has given her some advice. Do you think Lauren is going to take it? Let me know what you think. As always R&R. I may be persuaded to give you another chapter tonight...if you want another one you know what you need to do...**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen.**

After Peggy had gone, Lauren finished her coffee and opened her texts, she was surprised to see they weren't all from Joey, okay so 30 out of the 40 were, but the others were made up of texts from her dad, Abi, her mum, Lucy and Whitney.

She read through them all, one by one, sensing the worry and guilt they shared that Lauren had felt she couldn't stay. She started to reply to her family one by one. Leaving Joey's until last.

She kept the messages to the others short, simply writing,

"I'm fine, staying with a friend, need to clear my head. Lauren"

She knew her dad and Abi would be upset with her for the brief message but at the moment that was all she could tell them. She didn't reply to Whitney or Lucy. As far as she was concerned it was too little too late. Neither of them had come over last night to see if she was okay, not even a call or a text. Why should she put them out of their misery?

Her hands were shaking as she started to reply to Joey.

"I'm fine, at a friend's" she typed. She deleted that message and tried another "I'm okay needed some space" she deleted that text too. Lauren sighed closing her eyes, she considered ringing Joey but was worried about what would happen if he answered, she wasn't sure she was ready to talk to him just yet. Taking a deep breath she pressed her phone to her forehead. It startled her when it began to ring. She saw it was Alice calling her, Alice she'd talk to as she had been more of her usual self around Lauren. Treating her just the same as she always did, as if nothing had happened.

'Hi Alice' she said softly.

'It's not Alice, it's me… I borrowed her phone…please don't hang up' she heard Joey's voice. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't speak 'hello? Lauren are you still there?' he asked her

'Yes' she managed to croak.

'Are you okay? Look I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to right now and I get that...but I just need to know that you're okay, that you're somewhere safe and not… well you know'

'I'm not drinking' she replied quietly.

'Good' he replied, the relief he felt flooded through into his voice 'Good' he repeated 'I know you're not in Devon' he told her 'your parents are worried, so are Abi, Whitney and Lucy'

'I've texted my parents and Abi' she replied.

'Oh' Joey said 'but not me'

'I was trying to but I couldn't figure out what to say' she told him truthfully.

'Are you coming home?' he asked her.

'Honestly? I don't know. I know I can't stay here forever' she told him 'but I also know I can't go back to dad's..I don't have any money or anywhere else to go'

'What if you did have somewhere else to go, would you come back then?' he asked her.

'I don't though, do I?' she asked him.

'What if I could find you somewhere?' he asked her.

'I don't know. It's not as though there's anything to keep me there. I think everyone would be happier if I just left'

'I wouldn't' Joey told her 'Lauren, look I know what your dad told you and I've at yelled him for that. But it isn't true, I promise you. Sharon gave me more responsibility at the club, I'm working more hours, earning more money. I thought Max was on our side but I guess I was wrong' he told her 'I want to be with you. I don't want anyone else Lauren. You are it for me' Lauren licked her lips

'I'd better go' she said.

'Don't! Please talk to me for a bit longer' he pleaded with her.

'I don't know what you want me to say' she sighed.

'Tell me you still want to be with me too' he said to her quickly 'Tell me there's still a chance for us…. Please babe' he almost whispered.

'I don't know' she replied in a soft voice 'I don't know Joey' she shook her head knowing he couldn't see her.

'So that's it?' he asked her 'It's over before we even started?'

'Yes….no….maybe….I don't know. I just…I don't know'

'Do you love me?' he asked her straight out.

'Joey…..' she whispered.

'I want to see you' Joey said to her 'Tell me where you are; I'll come get you'

'I'm not ready to come back. I haven't decided if I am coming back' she told him.

'Then we can meet somewhere… just to talk, just so I can see for myself that you're okay. I'm going out of my mind with worry here, babe' Lauren closed her eyes and she took a deep breath.

'If I tell you, you don't tell anyone where I am. You have to promise me Joey' she told him firmly.

'I promise. I won't tell anyone' he waited patiently for her to talk, his heart was pounding in his chest. 'I promise. You can trust me babe' he told her. He heard her take a deep breath. He could picture her face, he knew she would be chewing her bottom lip.

'I'm at the White Feathers on Barrack Street …..'

'I know where it is' he said 'I can be there in an hour'

'If you tell anyone…..'

'I promised I wouldn't' he told her 'and I meant it'

'Okay' she whispered.

'And Lauren?' he asked her.

'Yes?'

'I … I'll see you soon' he told her softly before hanging up. He frowned, that wasn't what he'd meant to say….he had meant to tell her he loved her. But he couldn't get the words to come out. He didn't know why, he knew how he felt about her. He didn't understand why he found it so difficult to say the words. He deleted the call from Alice's phone to avoid an argument about invading her privacy and went into his room to get changed.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren wondered if she'd done the right thing telling Joey where she was. He'd asked her to trust him and she knew she was taking a bit chance on him, she also knew if he had lied and showed up with her dad, then things between them both would be over. Whether she wanted to be with him or not.

She walked downstairs into the pub and took a seat at the bar. Peggy came over to her 'Orange juice darling?'

'Can I have a coke and cranberry juice?'

'Of course you can' Peggy smiled at her 'on the house darling' She got the drink for her, placing it down in front of her 'I didn't expect to see you down here'

'I took your advice, I talked to Joey. He wants to see me. He'll be here in a while'

Peggy smiled at her 'Good I'm glad' she said.

**AN: Lauren took Peggy's advice and spoke to Joey. Okay so he called her first and being sneaky he used Alice's phone. But at least she has agreed to meet him. Is he going to keep his promise to her or is Max going to turn up in his place or with him? Read on to find out… Let me know what you think so far…. As always R&R.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty.**

Lauren had been watching the clock behind the bar since she'd seated herself there. An hour and fifteen minutes had passed since she had spoken to Joey and she'd an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wondered if she'd made a mistake in telling him where she was.

Peggy walked over to her 'He's running late?' she asked her.

'Yeah a bit' she nodded 'Maybe he changed his mind, Maybe dad is on his way instead' she sighed and she stood up 'I'm going to go upstairs' she said sliding off the stool, she glanced at the clock one more time before she walked towards the door.

'Oh…' Peggy said as the door opened 'Looks like he's here darling.' Lauren swallowed she turned to look, finding Joey standing in the middle of the pub with a small drooping bunch of flowers. He hadn't seen her yet, he was scanning the pub, searching for her. His eyes settled on the petite woman behind the bar and then on Lauren. 'Why don't you two go upstairs, hey?' Lauren looked at her with a nod. She pushed the door open looking at Joey expectantly, he followed her through the door, up the stairs and they paused on the landing outside the kitchen and lounge.

'I got you these' he held the limp, drooping yellow and white flowers out to her 'they kind of drooped in the taxi…sorry' he said sheepishly.

'You haven't brought me flowers before' she said quietly taking them from him, she went into the kitchen. He trailed after her.

'I haven't brought anyone flowers before' Joey admitted 'not even my mum' he said. He shifted on his feet nervously, rubbing his hands on his thighs 'I didn't know what you liked'

'Thank you' she said. She saw an empty vase on the windowsill; she picked it up and filled it with water before putting the flowers inside. 'These are nice' she said as she turned to look at Joey.

'What are your favourites?' he asked her.

'Daisies' she said 'My favourite flowers are Daisies'

'I'll remember that for next time'

Lauren licked her lips 'Do you want a coffee?'

'No thanks, I'm good, unless you're having one?' she shook her head and walked towards the lounge, Joey sighed before following her. 'So who lives here then?' he asked her.

'You said you wanted to see for yourself that I was okay, you have so…'

'I also said I wanted to talk' he reminded her.

'So talk' she said sitting down near the arm of the sofa facing him, playing with her fingers nervously.

Joey sat down in the middle of the sofa 'you know you can move in with me and Alice' he said to her.

'You have a full house already with Kat, Tommy and Michael there too' she said to him, surprised by his suggestion.

'I can sleep on the sofa, you can take my room or we can put an airbed in Alice's room, or mine'

'I don't have any money Joey, I can't pay towards the rent or the bills or food' she told him.

'I can' he told her 'Look Lauren I want to help you, let me help you' he said to her.

'I'm pretty sure Kat and Michael won't want me to move in' she said to him.

'I don't care what anyone else thinks' he told her 'Alice thinks it's a great idea'

'You've talked to Alice about it, about me?' she frowned at him.

'Yes, she's worried about you too' he told her 'and she would love for you to move in. You know she thinks the world of you. You're her favourite cousin' he said 'Of course you're my favourite cousin too' he added with a smile.

'Don't let Oscar hear you say that' she replied 'he thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread, he wants to be just like you when he grows up'

'He does?' Joey asked her surprised 'that's kind of sweet'

'Yeah, thrilled mum no end when he dropped that little bombshell' she snuck at peek at him 'she can't wait for him to start sleeping with his cousin and all her friends'

'That's not fair Lauren' he replied with a frown 'I haven't slept with Whitney'

'Pretty sure she wouldn't turn you down if you asked' Lauren shot back.

'I didn't come here to fight with you' he told her, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.

She sighed getting up and walking to the windows, pulling back the curtain she looked out. 'I'm not ready to go back there yet' she told him.

'Okay so we wait until you are' he said 'I can come and see you now I know where you are, we can talk on the phone, text… whatever you want'

'Why would dad lie to me?' she asked him.

'I don't know, you'll have to ask him that' he said 'I know I'm not going to listen to anyone else again, not when it comes to you' she heard him stand up 'Lauren, babe…I want to be with you, I want us to work' he told her, crossing the room to stand behind her, he slid his hand into hers and turned her around so she was looking at him. He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek. The words he wanted to say were on the tip of his tongue, but instead the following words came out of his mouth, 'you look tired' he told her 'you still not sleeping?'

'I slept for 8 hours when I got here but I still feel tired' she told him

'Well why don't you try and get some sleep?' he asked her 'I can stay with you if you want, until you fall asleep' he suggested to her. She looked up at him.

'Could be hours' she told him softly

'Works for me' he said to her, as his hand moved to her shoulder, slid down her arm and then took her hand in his.

'I thought you wanted to talk' she said to him.

'We have talked. And we can talk some more tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. I'm not going anywhere Lauren' he told her softly 'so come on let's get you to bed'

Lauren nodded and she led him through to the room she was sleeping in. She picked up her overnight bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Ten minutes later she came back wearing a pair of shorts and a t-strap t-shirt, a pair of fluffy white socks on her feet. Joey pulled back the covers and she climbed into the bed. Joey got on it beside her and she turned to look at him.

'You promise you'll stay until I fall asleep?' she asked him.

'Promise' he said softly 'you can trust me Lauren. Now, close your eyes' he told her.

She did as he asked and a few moments later she felt him running his fingers through her hair, she felt herself growing sleepy, shifting slightly in the bed, she moved to lay her head on his shoulder, his lips brushed gently across her forehead.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Peggy caught him creeping out of her room an hour later. 'She's asleep' he told her quietly.

'You're welcome to stay' Peggy said to him.

'I'd better be getting back to Walford' he told her 'I don't want Alice to worry'

'Alice?' Peggy frowned, hoping this wasn't the girlfriend Lauren had told her about.

'My sister' he said and he licked his lips 'will you tell Lauren I'll call her tomorrow?'

'I'll tell her' she nodded.

Peggy checked in on Lauren and saw she was fast asleep. She smiled and went back downstairs to help clean up the bar.

**AN: Joey came alone, although he was late. And he brought her flowers, albeit half dead flowers, but the thought was there. My favourite part of this chapter was where Lauren told Joey that Oscar wanted to be just like him when he grows up, and that her mum is thrilled and can't wait for him to sleep with his cousin and her friends…. Made me giggle a little…Let me know what you thinking about Revelry. As always R&R.  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one. **

Joey was back at the pub, lunchtime the next day, Lauren had just come back from a run and was sitting at the bar with a glass of milk and some toast. He had more flowers with him, this time he had daisies.

'For you' he said as he slid onto the stool beside her.

'Twice in as many days' Lauren replied 'thank you' she smiled as she took the flowers from him, she held them to her nose smelling the soft sweet fragrance of the daisies before laying them on the bar.

'At least they are a little bit more alive this time' he told her with a gentle smile 'You been for a run?' he asked her.

'Yeah got back ten minutes ago. I slept until 11:00am' she said.

'You look less tired'

'Thank you, for staying with me until I fell asleep, Peggy told me she caught you sneaking out'

Joey smiled 'So she is Phil Mitchell's mother?' he asked her. Lauren looked at him in surprise 'I talked to Phil, I told him that I'd been to see you and I was coming back today'

Lauren nodded 'Phil's been helping me. He's been to AA meetings with me and he's even agreed to be my sponsor'

'Wait this is the same Phil Mitchell we are talking about isn't it?' he asked her and she grinned at him nodding.

'One and the same' she said with a smile and then frowned 'wait …how come you are here? Shouldn't you be working?'

'Got the morning off' he said to her 'I'm not due in until 7:00pm'

'And no one knows that you're here?' she asked him 'you didn't tell Alice?'

'I didn't tell anyone else. Not even Alice' he said to her.

'So where does everyone think you are?'

'I told Alice I was meeting the boys from back home for a drink' he told her. She nodded her head and took another bite of toast. 'I meant what I said yesterday, about you moving in. I have some money saved' he told her.

'I don't want to live off of you Joey I want to pay my own way'

'You can pay me when you find a job'

'I've been trying, no one wanted to hire me before I left and no one wants to hire me now' she said, putting the rest of her toast on her plate and taking a sip of milk. She licked her lips and looked at him.

'Well then we'll call it a loan' he told her 'An interest free long term loan'

'I can't let you waste your savings on me' she told him with a frown.

'I see it as more of an investment' he replied his meaning clear.

She slid off the stool, picking up her glass and plate and walked to the door, Joey got up, picking up the flowers and opening the door for her before following her up the stairs to the kitchen. She washed up her things, dried them and put them away.

Lauren sighed and she turned around to look at Joey who was watching her expectantly for an answer. She took the flowers from him, adding them to the half dead ones in the vase on the windowsill.

'Lauren?'

'It's just….there are better things for you to spend your money on' she told him

'It's my money, I decide what I want to spend it on' he replied 'if you don't want to move in because I'm there then I can rent a room at the B&B' he told her

'Now you're being ridiculous' she frowned

'Why am I being ridiculous?'

'I am not kicking you out of your own house' she told him 'Look Joey, I don't know what I'm going to do and you coming here and putting pressure on me…..' she trailed off seeing the hurt expression on his face. 'I'm sorry….I didn't mean that' she shook her head 'I appreciate what you are trying to do. I just…..I don't think I'm worth all the effort, that's all' she told him and she walked out of the room, Joey frowned.

'What do you mean you don't think you are worth it?' he asked her walking into the lounge 'How can you say that?'

'I'm an alcoholic Joey' she said to him 'I'm always going to be an alcoholic, there is no cure'

'I know that' he said to her.

'Do you? Do you really Joey?' Lauren asked him with a frown 'You deserve better than being with someone who can't even go out for a drink with you' she told him 'someone who is always going to be the dull boring teetotal at the party'

'You could never be dull or boring even if you tried babe' he told her softly 'you are still the same girl you were before, you told me that, remember?'

'I was wrong' she said 'I don't know who I am anymore' she shook her head sadly. Joey wondered where the confident brave girl had gone that first came to see him in the club. Max certainly had a lot to answer for. They all did, himself included. He sighed.

'We really haven't helped you much have we?' he asked her as the guilt hit him again. 'I'm sorry, I let you down, again. I understand why you don't want to be around me' he told her 'look, I'll go, give you your space' he said 'just… if you want to talk, call me?' he asked her. He looked at her for a few seconds then left the room.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren could hear him walking down the stairs. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest at the thought of him leaving. She didn't want him to go. She rushed down the stairs after him, her tears already falling.

'Joey! Joey wait!' she called out as she barrelled through the doors leading to the bar. 'Joey!' He turned round to look at her, seeing her running towards him and then launching herself at him, he caught her and he held her tightly, lifting her off her feet.

'Don't go' she whispered next to his ear 'Please…don't go'

'I'm not going anywhere babe' he whispered back 'I love you' he told her.

Lauren blinked and she pulled back to look at him 'What?' she asked him, not sure she'd him correctly.

'I know I haven't said that to you' he told her as he set her back on her feet. 'I mean not in words any way' he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear, she smiled at him through her tears, 'I love you' he repeated again with a small smile.

'I love you too Joey' she told him, watching as his grin lit up his face.

'Yeah?' he asked her, she nodded.

'Yeah' she echoed as he leant forward for a kiss.

'You think maybe we should take this somewhere private?' Joey said softly 'we seem to have attracted an audience'

Lauren glanced around the bar, seeing people staring at them both. She nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly as she grabbed Joey's hand, tugging him towards the door. Once they were alone she pulled on his hand to lead him up the stairs but he pulled her back. She turned to look at him with a confused look on her face.

'I know we still have a lot to talk about, but there's something I really have to do' he said sliding one hand around her waist, pulling her towards him, his lips brushed against hers tentatively. He kissed her softly and gently and when he felt her step closer to him and press herself up against him, he gently ended the kiss. He gazed at her and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. He smiled at her 'we should talk' he told her and she nodded before turning and leading him up the stairs.

**AN: Joey came back to see her and he brought her live flowers! And her favourites to boot! It looks as though they're on the way to getting things back on track. He told her he loved her, which he hasn't done since the first time he said those three little words in the Children's park near Phil's garage. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think. R&R as always **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-two.**

Over the coming weeks Joey continued to visit Lauren and they both talked. Really talked. They'd both agreed they needed to take things slowly in their relationship, taking things one step at a time. Joey had hopefully persuaded her this time he wasn't going anywhere and if she had a relapse he would be around to pick up the pieces. The physical side of their relationship stayed mostly platonic, there was hugging and hand holding, soft chaste kisses in greeting or goodbye, but that was it.

Lauren had tried to persuade Joey it was silly to delay the inevitable but he wouldn't be swayed. He refused to stay over with her at Peggy's, he would rebuff her advances when she got too amorous, to the point where Lauren had stopped trying, thinking he wasn't interested in a sexual relationship with her, despite him telling her differently, Lauren was reading more into the situation than she needed to. Joey was bamboozled as to how he had managed to rebuff her advances on so many occasions when she had tried to lure him into more than kissing and hugging, especially when he wanted her so badly and was practically walking around with what his friends called "blue ball syndrome". He'd taken to relieving himself on a very regular basis, thinking of Lauren when he did so. It was purely these acts that meant he was able to resist Lauren's charms and surprise attacks…barely. He was almost relieved when she stopped trying to get him into bed or into some sort of compromising position. He was completely oblivious to the fact Lauren thought he wasn't interested in renewing that side of their relationship and their platonic relationship status was more due to the fact he wanted them to be cousins… occasionally kissing cousins, but she thought that was all he appeared to be interested in.

Okay, so they needed to work on their talking a little bit more.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren ended up staying with Peggy for a month, Peggy had told her she was glad of the company, and had given Lauren a little job of washing the glasses, something Peggy said she hated doing. Peggy insisted on giving Lauren a little bit of spending money, as she called it, for helping her out.

Joey had been a regular visitor, whenever he wasn't working, and they had spent most of their time talking about Lauren's ongoing recovery, her schedule, as well as her fear of getting hurt again.

He had come into the pub one night to find Lauren working behind the bar, after his initial panic had worn off he discovered a pump had come off a barrel and Peggy had gone down to the cellar to try to fix it. Lauren had stepped behind the bar to cover for Peggy. Joey had been surprised and somewhat concerned to see her there, serving customers, but he couldn't help laughing at her frowning in frustration when she pulled her first pint and saw the 12 inch head it had on top of it. Still laughing he moved behind the bar to help her.

'It's not as easy as it looks hey?' he teased her, she glared at him 'not bad for a first attempt' he told her softly before he'd proceeded to show her how to pull the perfect pint, which she had then proudly presented the customer, her first properly pulled pint of beer, albeit, with the help of Joey. He left her behind the bar letting her serve the customers. He took a seat but kept an eye on her. Peggy came back a few minutes later and she saw the sparkle in Lauren's eyes.

'Everything all right darling?' she asked her.

Lauren nodded 'All customers served and happy even though it is highly possible that I short changed most of them' she grinned.

'You can short change me any time, sweetheart' one of the regulars, whose name she thought was Darren, said with a wink.

'Oi! Her fella's right there' Peggy scolded him gesturing to Joey.

'Lucky man' Darren replied taking a sip of his beer. Lauren grinned at Joey as she stepped out from behind the bar, seating herself next to him.

'Hi' she said softly.

'Hi' he replied moving forward to give her a quick kiss 'So you all packed?' he asked her. She nodded her head 'and are you ready to go tonight?' he asked her warily.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey had been to collect Lauren to take her back to Albert Square three times now, and each time she'd panicked and changed her mind at the last minute. The last time they had been 15 minutes away from the square in the back of a black cab. Lauren had gotten so upset and distressed that Joey insisted the taxi driver turn around and take them back to Peggy's. Joey had ended up staying the night because Lauren was so upset, she was clinging to him begging him not to leave her. That was the one and only time he agreed to stay the night with her in her bed. He spent the night watching her sleep, and every so often she would whimper and cling to him a little bit tighter. He'd spent most of the night with a hard on and felt guilty because of it. He never told Lauren about it, in case he upset her more.

This time, though, he hoped they would actually make it back to the square. After a lot of gentle persuasion Joey had finally convinced her to move into number 23 with him, Alice, Michael, Kat and Tommy, although she'd refused point blank to take his bed, insisting she would be fine on the couch, and no amount of persuasion was going to change her mind, and Joey had tried.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

'We don't have to leave yet if you are not ready' he told her softly.

'It's time' she nodded 'the longer I stay here the harder it's going to be' she told him, he nodded in agreement.

'I tell you what, how about you and I come back here once a week? Have a date night?' he said knowing how fond of Peggy his girlfriend had become. If he was honest Joey too had become very fond of the formidable Mitchell matriarch.

'Yeah I'd like that' she nodded with a smile.

Lauren went upstairs to get her bags. When she returned to Joey she handed them to him with a smile. Peggy came over to them both, stepping out from behind the bar.

'You take care of yourself darling' she told her, Lauren smiled and nodded.

'Thank you for letting me stay. For the chats….for everything' she said hugging Peggy tightly.

'You come back and see me now, you hear me? That goes for you too Joey' she said pulling the young man into a hug.

'Thank you, for looking after Lauren for me' he told her sincerely.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren got tearful the closer she got to the square and for a terrible moment Joey thought they were going to have to turn the taxi around again and go back. But this time they made it back to the square. Joey paid the driver and he took her bags out of the car. Lauren was standing outside number 23 staring at the house. Joey smiled, slipping his hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze before leading her inside.

Lauren was shocked to find all her new housemates were there to greet her, even Michael Moon which surprised her no end. After ten minutes they all left to give Lauren some space, even Joey, who had gone to make her a coffee when he arrived, but was clearly taking his time in the kitchen.

After they'd drunk their coffee, Lauren told Joey she was tired, he disappeared briefly into his bedroom, returning a few short minutes later with some blankets, duvet and pillows, he dropped the items onto the sofa, telling Lauren he would be sleeping out here while she took his room. After 15 minutes of a hushed, heated discussion about who was going to be sleeping on the sofa, Lauren had won. Joey helped Lauren make up her bed. He kissed her on the cheek softly, before retiring to his own room.

Lauren undressed and lay on the sofa staring into the darkness, thinking about what would happen next.

**AN: So Joey has convinced Lauren to move into number 23 with him and after a few shaky attempts to return back to the square, Lauren has finally been able to do so. The sleeping arrangements are clearly not what Lauren was hoping for, but a few nights of Lauren being under the same roof as him, Joey's will is going to break…Right? R&R as always **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter twenty-three.**

The next morning, Lauren had come to a decision. She knew she needed to clear the air with her dad. So she got up, showered and dressed, making her way over to the car lot. She knew she needed to have a conversation with her dad and today seemed to be the day for fresh starts. She wanted to make her relationship with her dad as strong as her relationship with her mum, but in order to do that she had to be open and honest with him, no matter how painful her words would be.

She opened the door to the portacabin, stepping inside. Max looked up, 'Lauren!' he exclaimed in surprise. 'When did you get back?' he asked her, getting to his feet 'You should've called me, I would've come and picked you up'

'I got back last night and Joey picked me up' she replied.

Max blinked, surprised 'Yeah, where did you stay last night? Do you need a hand moving your things back into the house?'

Lauren shook her head 'I'm not moving back in, dad. I'm staying at Joey's' she told him.

Max frowned, shaking his head 'No, Lauren, you're not' he told her firmly 'you need to be around your family, you need to be supervised…'

'Supervised?' Lauren asked him, surprised by his choice of word. 'I don't need to be supervised, dad. I'm not a child… I'm big enough and ugly enough to look after myself' she told him with a shake of her head 'Look, I've been to rehab, I'm sober now, dad, and I plan to stay that way. But living at home with you, with you all walking around on eggshells, you wanting to know where I am 24/7 is too much pressure to put on me. I need to be around people who are willing to try and trust me, people who won't be breathing down my neck all the time. I'm going to counselling sessions, I'm going to AA meetings. I'm doing everything I need to be doing. I've been talking to Joey, to mum and they both agree that me moving out of the house is the best thing for me' Max opened his mouth to speak but Lauren held her hand to stop him. 'Let me finish. I love you, dad and I want to make you proud of me, I want to prove to you that I'm okay, that I'm not going to go running back to the bottle every time something goes wrong in my life. You tell me I need to keep myself out of temptations way but you have a bottle of scotch in the house and it feels like you're setting me up to fail. It feels like you're waiting for me to fail so you can swoop in and pick up the pieces' she told him softly. 'I'm doing well at college. I'm looking for a job so I can pay towards my share of the bills. This is what I need, dad and I need you to be okay with it.'

'I can give you some money' he reached into his pocket, pulling his wallet out.

'No, dad' Lauren shook her head. 'I don't want your money, I want to earn it on my own' she told him softly. 'Joey says he can manage for a few months supporting the both of us. He's doing more hours at the club' she told him. 'Please dad, I need you to be okay with this. You need to believe I know what I'm doing' she looked at him 'and I promise you when… if… I feel as though I want to drink or if there's something bothering me, I'll come and talk to you about it' she said to him. 'We can meet up, have lunch together, or you could let me come over to the house and cook. I learnt how to cook in rehab, it's pretty therapeutic' she said with a smile.

Max looked at his daughter and he sighed, 'Okay, okay fine' he said, knowing he wasn't going to change Lauren's mind.

'You shouldn't have interfered between me and Joey' she told him with a frown.

'I was just worried about you. I didn't want you to rush into something that was too much for you to handle.' He admitted to her.

'You lied to me, dad' she frowned at him, 'you told me Joey had a girlfriend. You told me he didn't want to be with me. You can't do that, you can't make my decisions for me. I know you were only trying to protect me but I'm a big girl, dad and Joey loves me and I love him. He's what I need, dad. We've talked about things and we're not going to rush into a relationship, we're taking things slowly'

Max asked her 'you've moved in with him, that's not my definition of slow'

'No, I've moved into the house he lives in. I'm sleeping on the sofa, and before you start about how it should be Joey on the sofa, it was my choice' she told him. 'I'm going to be okay, dad. I promise' she told him.

Max looked at her, nodding his head 'I know, babe. And I am proud of you' he said, crossing over the room to envelope her in a hug. 'You promise you'll talk to me when you need to, right?'

'I will' she nodded her head. 'I'd better go, I'm supposed to be writing an essay on 1940's films' she told him, moving out of his embrace and pulling a face.

'I tell you what, I'll meet you in the Vic for lunch at 1:00pm' he told her 'and we can have a talk about your essay, maybe I can help, you know I like those old films' he told her.

'I was hoping you'd say that' she grinned at him.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren had been back for a week. Her relationship with her dad was slowly being repaired and he was trying hard to let her live her own life but at times he would get it wrong and try to insist he knew better, so they were taking baby steps. Her relationship with Joey on the other hand was at a complete standstill. They had been going so slowly in moving forward that they'd now stopped moving in any direction. Lauren knew it was mainly her fault, but she was too stubborn and anxious to make the first move, he'd already rejected her enough and she wasn't sure she could take anymore, so she pretended to herself she was okay with the way things were.

Her nightly routine was the same, she would go to bed at 10:30pm sleep until12:30am and then be awake for the rest of the night. She would spend her time wandering around the downstairs of the house.

Joey was sleeping in Derek's old room on the ground floor, it was situated between the lounge and the kitchen. He got up after hearing Lauren moving around in the hallway outside his room. He held his breath thinking for one moment that she was going to come in, but then he heard her moving towards the kitchen. He couldn't help the spark of disappointment he felt that she didn't come in. He heard her get a glass of water before she set it down on the side. He walked into the kitchen seeing all she was wearing was a t-shirt and underneath that, possibly nothing, or a least a very skimpy pair of panties. A spear of lust shot through him at the sight of her and then he frowned as he thought that it could have been Michael that walked in and found her and not him. Lust turned to jealousy, which in turn, turned to anger.

'You could at least put jogging bottoms on if you are planning on wandering around the house all night' he hissed at her. She turned to look at him with a terrified shriek and he instantly felt guilty for sneaking up on her 'what if Michael had walked in and seen you like that?'

'Like what?' she frowned at him looking down at the t-shirt that was too big for her.

'Are you serious?' he frowned 'Are you actually wearing anything underneath that?'

'Yes' she snapped at him 'what are you doing sneaking around?'

'You woke me up with your constant pacing' he snapped back at her in hushed tones. 'Like you do every night'

'Sorry' she said softly 'I can't sleep' she told him.

'This has got to stop Lauren! It's not fair on everyone else in the house. You can't sleep so that means no one else can?' he replied angrily.

Lauren blinked at him surprised by the sharpness of his tone. 'I'm not the one yelling!' she retorted.

'I am not yelling!' he hissed back at her.

'Fine, if you're not happy about me staying here then I'll move out tomorrow' she replied.

'It is tomorrow' Joey growled at her, missing the point of what she had just said.

'Fine! Then I'll go now' she said walking towards him. He made no attempt to move out of her way. 'MOVE!' she frowned at him, shoving him hard in the chest with her hands, almost causing him to lose his balance. He grabbed her wrists to steady himself, they were both glaring at each other angrily, for two very different reasons, both of them breathing heavily. Joey pulled her towards him and his lips met hers in a hard, angry kiss, his tongue forcing its way between her lips. She groaned as he manoeuvred her backwards, pressing her against the fridge. His hands moved to her waist and he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he pulled her against his erection. He growled deep in his throat and turned, carrying her blindly towards the door, but he stumbled against the kitchen table, laying her down on it and kissing her hungrily. Lauren clawed at his back, pulling his t-shirt up, they both let out a soft moan as their lower regions pressed against each other.

The kitchen light suddenly flicked on and they heard a sharp intake of breath, they broke the kiss, turning to see Joey's half asleep sister standing in the doorway.

'Ew! People have to eat off that table' she scolded them both.

Lauren's face burned bright red at having being caught in a compromising position with Joey, on the kitchen table of all places, she turned her head and buried it in Joey's neck. He could feel the heat coming off her face.

'We're only kissing Al' Joey said to her.

'Only because I walked in' she retorted 'five more minutes and you would have been at it like rabbits' she frowned at him. 'You better disinfect that table!' she told them both.

'Did you want something Alice?' Joey asked her testily, feeling his erection throbbing painfully as Lauren wriggled against him trying to make him move so she could get up.

'I'm thirsty. I came down for a glass of water' she said.

'Okay… you know where the tap is' he said to her. Taking her time, she slowly walked into the room she opened the cupboard door, reaching inside for a glass, which she felt the need to rinse out 4 times, before filling it up and drinking a few mouthfuls. Lauren pushed against Joey's chest harder and he let her up, she fled from the room in embarrassment. Alice and Joey both heard the lounge door shut. Joey looked for something to cover his groin with, grabbing a tray off the side as Alice turned round.

'You are going to have disinfect that too now you know' she said glancing at the tray before meeting his gaze.

'Can you go to bed please Al?' he frowned at her.

'I'm going' she said, walking out of the room as slowly as she came in. Joey sighed putting the tray on the table and walked towards the lounge. He wondered if he should go in, see if Lauren was okay. Closing his eyes, he went into his room, deciding that it was safer if they stayed away from each other for the rest of the night, otherwise he wouldn't be responsible for his actions. He had meant what he said to Lauren about taking their relationship slowly, and leaping into bed with her, no matter how much he wanted to, wasn't taking things slowly.

Lauren held her breath as she waited for Joey to come into the room. She let out a disappointed sigh as she heard his bedroom door close a few moments later.

Joey climbed into the bed with a sigh, willing his erection to go down. Knowing there was only one way he was going to be getting back to sleep tonight, his hand slid inside his boxer shorts and closed around his throbbing length. He started to stroke himself firmly, thinking about Lauren.

Lauren crept out of the lounge to retrieve the glass of water she had left in the kitchen, she paused outside Joey's door. She could hear muffled moans and groans coming out of his room, she frowned at first wondering what he was doing and then flushed with embarrassment as she realised exactly what he was doing in his room. Then tears filled her eyes as the realisation came to her.

He would rather get himself off than be with her.

Lauren forgot about the water and went back to the lounge, collapsing onto the sofa. Burying her face in the pillow as she sobbed heartbroken into the pillow.

**AN: It looks like Lauren living with Joey isn't working out. Her inability to sleep is driving Joey crazy. And the sexual attraction and Joey's desire to do the right thing in taking things slowly is also driving him crazy, so he takes matters into his own hands, literally! They both want to have sex but are both too stubborn to tell each other! Anyone else want to bang their heads together? R&R as always **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-four.**

The next morning when Joey got up he wasn't surprised to see the couch tidy and all Lauren's things packed away as if she wasn't there and hadn't even been there. He'd told her to make herself at home, but she told him that everyone would get sick of her stuff being all over the lounge all the time. He'd even suggested he could make some room for her things in his drawers and wardrobe but she'd refused telling him she didn't want to impose any more than she already had.

He wasn't worried she wasn't there, he knew she'd probably gone for a run. Sometimes they went on a run together; when she wanted to do that she would be waiting for him, but this morning she had gone so he figured she wanted to go on her own. He knew she needed her space sometimes and Joey was fine with that.

He walked into the kitchen and saw Alice sitting at the table. He smiled to himself as she glared at him, the events of last night replaying in his head…and obviously hers.

'Where's Kat this morning?' he asked her as he sat down.

'Its 10:30am Joey' she said and looked at him with a frown.

'It is?' he asked her with a frown 'Lauren's not back from her run yet?' he asked her.

'She's been back. She showered and then went out again'

'Where?' he asked his sister.

'I don't know. I didn't ask her, I'm not her keeper, Joey!' she snapped at him.

'What's up with you?' he asked her getting up and pouring himself some coffee, when she didn't reply he turned and saw he was alone in the kitchen.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren sat in the café with a coffee, a plate of uneaten toast in front of her, as she looked through the newspaper for jobs and flats.

'Are you alright Lauren?' she heard someone talking to her. Looking up she saw Lucy standing at her table.

'Yeah, I'm fine' she nodded, looking down at the paper again, hoping Lucy would go away.

'Job searching?' she asked. Lauren closed her eyes and slammed her pen onto the table.

'Did you want something Lucy?' she snapped at her.

'Sorry I just…..' she shifted nervously on her feet.

Lauren sighed 'I'm sorry Lucy, I just… I didn't sleep well' she said apologetically. 'I'm a little….cranky this morning' she scratched the back of her head.

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'I'm living in a cramped four bedroomed house, where I get little or no privacy' Lauren said to her 'I'm sleeping on the most uncomfortable sofa you could ever find…'

'You're not… I thought you and Joey were back together' Lucy said surprised to hear Lauren's strange sleeping arrangements.

'Yes … no… sort of… I don't know. It's complicated, Luce' Lauren frowned at her with a sigh.

'I could ask Janine if she's got anything going?' Lucy suggested

'She's already offered' Lauren said 'but I'm not sure working there would be a good idea' she told her.

'Why not? At least it's a job. You'll have money coming in' Lucy told her, pulling out the chair to sit down. 'You can find a place of your own' she continued 'maybe even Janine will let you move into one of her flats'

'Joey would love that' Lauren said with a frown and she rubbed her face.

'Is he being a bit….?' Lucy struggled for the right words.

'Annoying? Lauren offered 'Yeah just a bit' she nodded her head.

'Why don't we go out later? You, me, Whitney. We could go to the cinema or something?' she asked Lauren 'I bet there are loads of films you want to see'

'It's a nice thought but….I don't actually have any money of my own.' Lauren told her 'and I really don't want to ask Joey to lend me any when I have no way of paying him back'

'My treat' Lucy added, knowing what Lauren was going to say.

Lauren looked at her 'Joey will just ring all night'

'Forget your phone' she said to her.

'He'd be really mad if I did that'

'Well then tell him that during the film you'll turning the phone off' Lucy said 'Come on Lauren when was the last time we had a girl's night out?'

Lauren thought and she pulled a face 'I can't remember the last time we had a successful girl's night out' she admitted to her 'and there are a few films I'd like to see'

'Great, I'll call Whitney and we'll meet you at the tube station at 6:30pm. We can go for pizza before or after if you want, my treat again' Lucy smiled at her.

'Okay yeah' Lauren nodded 'I'd really like that, thanks Lucy' she grinned at her. Lauren's phone rang, she glanced at it, sighing as she picked it up 'I'd better go before he sends out a search party' Lauren said, picking up the paper and pen. 'I'll see you at 6:30pm' she grinned.

'Looking forward to it' Lucy said smiling back at her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren made her way back to the house just as Joey opened the door, his keys, phone and jacket in his hand.

'I was just coming to look for you' he said to her 'I've been trying to call you' he stepped aside to let her in.

'I know. You called 19 times, Joey' Lauren said moving into the lounge. She tossed the pen, paper and phone on the coffee table with a sigh.

'I was worried' he said to her 'you could have told me where you were going, given me a clue as to how long you were going to be, you know. At least left me a note or something'

Lauren nodded 'Sorry dad!' she frowned at him 'why don't you see if you can get an electronic tag or something for me to wear, or better still you could get me micro-chipped with a GPS tracking device so you know where I am at all times' she snapped at him, pushing past him.

Joey blinked, surprised at her outburst. He glanced down at the table and saw black circles around some adverts in the paper. He picked it up and saw she'd circled some jobs, he turned the paper over and she'd circled some bedsits too. He swallowed and went into the kitchen, she was making some coffee.

'And if you insist on knowing where I am every second of the day then I will be meeting some friends to go to the cinema with them this evening. Maybe we'll get something to eat too' she said looking at him.

'What friends?' he asked her curiously.

'Just a few friends from counselling' she lied to him 'we're going out in a group'

'Yeah? That'll be nice' he said softly 'Here' he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and took out £20 and held it out to her.

'I don't want your money, Joey' she said shaking her head, instantly feeling guilty for her earlier outburst in the lounge.

'Please…' he said to her 'I know you still haven't got a job yet, and it's not because you haven't been putting any effort in, because you have. I know you've been keeping the house clean….you've earned it' he told her.

Lauren blinked at him and she looked at the £20. She reached out and reluctantly took it from him.

'I'll pay you back' she told him.

'I don't want you to pay me back' he said shaking his head 'can't I treat my girlfriend?' he asked her

'Thank you' she said with a smile, pushing the money into her jeans pocket.

'Lauren… about last night… I am really sorry I acted like that' he told her 'I just…I know I over-stepped the boundaries and I'm sorry. It won't happen again' he said. She looked up at him, feeling rejection flood through her.

'Whatever' she said dismissively.

'Look I've been thinking about going to see mum for a couple of days' he said to her 'I haven't been to see her for a while and she's asking questions'

'Okay, when are you thinking?' she asked him, feeling suddenly nervous about meeting his mother, she wondered if she had anything suitable to wear.

'Tomorrow, sometime' he said to her 'you can sleep in the bedroom while I'm gone'

He didn't want her to go with him. The feeling of rejection intensified 'Oh…yeah, maybe…thanks' she replied.

'Will you be okay?' he asked her 'While I'm gone?'

Lauren nodded 'I'll be fine Joey. I don't need a babysitter' she frowned at him as she left the room. He heard the lounge door slam shut.

Joey frowned and sighed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called his friends and then his mum.

**AN: So…Joey's apologised for the almost sex last night, bet that makes Lauren feel great! And now he's off to visit his mum and clearly doesn't want to introduce Lauren to her, so she's feeling a little bit worse now. Lauren's having a night out with the girls, I wonder how that's going to go…any ideas? R&R as always. **


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-five. **

Joey smiled as he saw how excited Lauren seemed to be for her night out. He felt a little jealous he wasn't the one taking her out, making her smile like that, but he couldn't because he needed to work.

'You look great' he smiled at her.

'Thanks' she said 'I've been waiting for an excuse to wear this dress for ages. Mum brought it for me in Devon' she said to him.

'Have a good time babe' he said softly.

'I will. I'll see you tomorrow' she said with a smile, pulling on her coat. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek before leaving the house.

A few minutes later Alice bounded down the stairs 'Are you off out too?' he asked her.

'Mmhmm' she checked her reflection in the mirror 'Out with Poppy' Alice said 'Few drinks at the Vic and then on to the club' she told him 'so I'll see you there later tonight' she grinned as she turned towards him, reached up and kissed him on the cheek, reminding him that Lauren had kissed him in much the same way a few minutes earlier.

In fact if he thought about it, it was the way she'd been kissing him for some time now, except for last night…. Joey had a niggling worry in the back of his mind that things between him and Lauren were not okay, he was interrupted from his thoughts by his phone ringing, he glanced at it and a grin spread across his face.

'All right Rick?' he asked him.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren had been in bed for about two hours. She had tried to sleep but the events of the night were playing on her mind. So after another 30 fruitless minutes of trying to go back to sleep, she got up and crept to the kitchen. She made herself a coffee and sat down in the dark at the table nursing it. She thought about her night out with Whitney and Lucy. She had expected it to be a fun night out but instead she felt awkward and uncomfortable, leading her to bail on Lucy and Whitney after the movie when the two of them decided to go to a wine bar. Lauren didn't feel like going straight home, she walked through the streets with the £20 Joey had given her, burning a hole in her pocket. Lauren made a stop on her way back to the Square. Sharon was standing outside the club talking to one of the bouncers as Lauren walked past.

'Hello Lauren' she smiled at her 'popping in to see Joey?'

'I don't have the money…' she replied. Seeing Joey would make her feel a bit better, maybe she would tell him what had happened.

'Who said anything about money' Sharon replied gesturing to the door 'Go on in'

Lauren smiled 'Thanks' she said as she walked down the stair, into the club. It was pretty busy as headed towards the bar. She spotted Joey, instantly feeling better, until she saw him laughing and joking with a very pretty blonde. Lauren frowned as the blonde reached out and ran her hand up his arm, leaning closer to him, whispering something in his ear which made Joey roar with laughter. Seeing Joey with another girl just made her night go from bad to worse. She fled the club and returned to number 23.

Once she was back in the lounge, she flopped down onto the sofa, her handbag beside her, covering her face with her hands. She remembered something suddenly, grabbed her handbag, she reached inside, clasping in her hand the three miniature bottles of scotch she had purchased from the off license on her way home. She unscrewed the lid from the first bottle, raised to her lips, closed her eyes and poured it into her mouth. She held it in her mouth for a few moments, conflicting emotions flowing through her at what she was doing. Lauren screwed her eyes shut and swallowed, feeling the liquid burning her throat. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth as she fought back the urge to throw up. The feeling of nausea didn't last long.

The second bottle followed the first.

The third bottle followed the second.

She collapsed back onto her makeshift bed and cried.

Now, as she sat at the kitchen table with her coffee, Lauren felt guilty. She felt like a failure. She felt lost and alone. She knew she should have called Phil; she knew she still could, but that would mean Joey finding out what she had done.

Lauren Branning had thrown her 90 day sobriety away. Now she had to start over.

She felt ashamed of herself and angry.

The tears started to fall, she cried silently feeling more alone than she ever had. Moments later she heard movement in the hall and wondered if she'd woken Joey again. Quickly brushing her tears away, she stood up, crossed the room to the sink and poured her now cold coffee away.

The light flicked on.

'Oh sorry' she heard Michael say, obviously surprised to see her there.

'Did I wake you?' Lauren asked him.

'No, no, I was thirsty' he told her softly, 'what are you doing up?' he asked her.

'I don't sleep well…' she trailed off with a shrug.

Michael nodded 'Understandable' he said. He looked at her as she rinsed out the cup. Her t-shirt rode up slightly at the back, showing off her shapely bottom in the black shorts she was wearing, he smiled and he tilted his head to one side. Lauren turned around, keeping her head down. Michael straightened up 'Everything okay?' he asked her.

Lauren nodded 'Yeah I'm fine. I'm going to go to the bathroom and then back to bed' she told him as she left the room.

Michael thought he could detect the smell of scotch on her as she walked past him. He waited until he heard the bathroom door open, before he crept into the lounge, he glanced around the room hurriedly but he couldn't see anything. He knew he couldn't spend a lot of time looking, Lauren would be back downstairs soon. He went back to the kitchen, turning the kettle on. Lauren went back into the lounge and she climbed into the bed.

*JL*JL*JL*JL

Later when Joey came home after his shift at the club at 2:00am, he paused outside the lounge, his hand hovered over the door handle, part of him waiting to check Lauren was back, another part of him wanting to check she was sober, if she was back. He knew if she was asleep, he risked waking her, and knowing she didn't sleep well, he didn't want to wake her if she was asleep. He also knew he needed to let her know he trusted her. So, he let go of the handle and walked into his room.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Michael heard Lauren leave early the next morning to go on her run. He entered the lounge and sat down on the sofa, frowning as he felt something odd underneath him, standing up, he turned and picked up an empty miniature scotch bottle. He knew the only person who could have left it there was Lauren. He smiled to himself as a plan began to form.

**AN: Lauren was excited to be going out with her friends, but it looks as though things didn't go the way she'd hoped. Thinking that perhaps seeing Joey, talking to Joey would make her feel better, she went to the club to see him and discovered him with another girl and it pushed her over the edge. She's fallen off the wagon. Is she going to continue to drink? Is she going to confide in Phil, her sponsor? Is she going to confront Joey? What is Michael planning? Let me know what you're thinking…leave me a review….If you want another chapter I might be persuaded if and only if I get at least 11 reviews before 10pm….**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-six. **

Joey was hoping Lauren would be back before he had to get the train to his mums, he didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. He was hoping they could go for a run together, they hadn't done that for a couple of days and he missed it. He missed ogling Lauren in her running gear if he was being honest, but it wasn't just that he missed, he missed them walking round the lake and talking. Stopping off in the café on the way back to the house and having breakfast together. He wanted to hear about her night, he hoped she'd had good time; that she'd had fun. Fun had seriously been lacking in her life for a while.

As he waited for her, he wondered if he should have asked her to come to his mother's with him, he knew his mum wanted to meet Lauren. The girl that had tamed her son, made him fall in love. He wanted her to meet Lauren, but he was worried it would be too soon, putting too much pressure on her, Lauren had been walking around lately as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. He knew she was worrying about money, finding a job, she didn't want to keep using Joey's money. She didn't want to feel as though he was having to support her.

Joey looked at his watch, he had to leave in the next five minutes or he was going to miss his train. He sighed, picking up his phone, sending her a text.

Lauren's phone beeped in her bag, causing her to jump, pulling her out of her worried thoughts. She glanced around the park as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, and read the text from Joey

"Not checking up on you. Nearly time for me to leave… will I see you before I go? J xx"

Lauren typed a reply, Joey's phone vibrated and he looked at it

"Sorry, still waiting in the counsellor's office. Not been in to see her yet, she's running behind. Have a good time" he read

Lauren's phone beeped in her hand "Okay. I'll see you when I get back. If you need me, call me….. J x" she read.

Joey picked up his bag, checked his pockets for the keys and left the house.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren got back to the house in the afternoon, having spent the day in the park, thinking about her relationship with Joey, or lackthereof. She thought about how disappointed everyone would be when she told them that she'd relapsed and drank alcohol. She dreaded the hospital appointment she was due to have in the next week, wondering what the test results would came back as.

She let herself into the house and Alice and Kat were there with Tommy. Tommy looked up at her as she walked in.

''Oren!' he exclaimed and he got up, holding up his hands to her, Lauren smiled, bending down to pick him up, he hugged her tightly.

'Hello you…. Oh thank you' she said with a smile. Tommy looked at her, patting her face with both hands. 'Oren pretty' he told her 'Mummy pretty, Ally pretty'

'Oh, you are so sweet' Lauren smiled, she suddenly missed Oscar, she frowned as she felt her eyes sting with tears, Lauren put Tommy down on the floor. 'I'm going to make a coffee' she told them as she walked into the kitchen.

Alice and Kat exchanged glances. Kat got up and followed Lauren.

'Everything okay?' she asked her

'Yep' Lauren nodded, Kat noticed Lauren rubbing her hands on her thighs. She knew Joey did the same, when he was nervous or anxious about something, she figured Lauren had picked up the habit from him.

'If you need to talk…' Kat trailed off.

'It's fine…I just… I just miss Oscar' Lauren told her with a smile 'I adore Tommy I do, but he's not Oscar…you know? Oscar calls me Big Bird now' Lauren said.

'Big Bird?' Kat frowned confused by what she'd just said.

'From when I was sick, when I had yellow skin' she explained, Kat looked shocked for a few minutes and then she started laughing.

'Trust kids to just say what comes into their heads' Kat said shaking her head.

'Do you want a coffee?' Lauren asked her.

'Please' Kat nodded her head 'So did you see Joey before he left?'

'Er no…my counsellor was running late' she said with a shrug.

'So how did it go?' Kat asked her.

'What?'

'Your counselling session?' Kat said with surprise.

'Oh yeah…same as always' Lauren said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She took the milk out of the fridge and poured some into the cups. Kat noticed Lauren's hands were shaking as she handed a cup to her.

'Thanks' she said with a smile. She followed Lauren into the lounge and retook her seat in the armchair. Lauren sank down on the couch next to Alice, resting her head on the back of the sofa and closed her eyes.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

'Lauren…' Alice nudged her gently.

'Mm what?' she asked opening her eyes, not realising that she'd fallen asleep,

'Joey's on the phone for you' she said holding out the house phone to her. She blinked and frowned, sitting forward before taking the phone from her.

'Thanks' she said,

'I'll leave you to talk in private' Alice said closing the door as she left the lounge.

Lauren cleared her throat 'Hello?' she said.

'Hi babe' she heard Joey say 'Were you asleep?' She nodded, still a bit dopey from having being woken up suddenly 'Lauren?'

'Sorry… I nodded' she said to him.

'I'm sorry, I told Al not to wake you if you were asleep' he said annoyed with his sister.

'What time is it?' Lauren asked him.

'9:30pm' he said.

'Urgh! I fell asleep sitting up' she groaned as she moved to lie down on the sofa.

'I thought you were going to sleep in my room?' he asked her 'you know while I was away'

'I'd only have to get used to sleeping on your hard lumpy sofa again when you got back so….I thought I'd stay here' she replied 'How's home?'

'Good' he replied 'Caught up with some old mates' he said 'We're having an early night tonight because we signed up to play for a charity football match tomorrow. Raising money for the local Community centre' he explained to her 'so I am lying in my old single bed, thinking about you, and I thought I would take a chance and call you. I am really sorry that Al woke you up'

'It's okay' Lauren said softly.

'How was the movie last night? Did you have fun?' he asked her. He heard the slight hesitation before she answered.

'Mmhmm, fun was had' she lied 'how was work?'

'Good, busy' he said and she heard him yawn.

'You're tired'

'A little' he nodded 'but I missed you this morning so I wanted to call, hear your voice. Talk to you' he told her 'how did your counselling session go?'

'Same as always' she replied 'I talk, she talks, there's talking' she lied again.

'So it went okay?'

'It went the same as it does every time I go to see her' Lauren replied.

'Listen Lauren, I've been thinking about us' he said to her.

'Oh?' she said quietly. She wondered if he was going to break up with her over the phone, or ask her to move out.

'I thought that when I came back we could talk?' he asked her.

Lauren swallowed, her thoughts immediately going to the blonde in the club that Joey seemed more than happy to have draped over him. He wanted to break up with her face to face.

'Sure' she hoped she sounded casual.

'Good' Joey said, he heard Lauren yawn, 'I'd better let you go so you can get some sleep….I wish you'd reconsider using the bed' he said to her 'it's laying there empty'

'Sofa's fine' she told him 'So I guess we'll talk when you get back' she said to him.

'Yeah, I'll be back Friday' he told her.

'Okay, Good luck for the football match tomorrow'

'Thanks'

'Night' she said.

'Night babe. I love you' he said. He frowned when she didn't reply, and looked at the phone and saw she had hung up.

Joey smiled shaking his head, placing the phone on the bedside table. He closed his eyes and soon fell into a contented sleep.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Back in Walford, Lauren tossed and turned on the sofa. After two hours, she gave up and went into the kitchen, finding someone already there.

'Two nights in a row, people will talk' Michael teased her as she walked in 'I've just made some coffee do you want one?'

Lauren looked at him and smiled, nodding her head 'Please' she said pulling out a chair and sitting down.

**AN: So Lauren lied to Joey, to Kat. She didn't go to her counselling session. She hasn't spoken to Phil about what happened the night before. Is she going to try and deal with this on her own? At least she hasn't brought any more alcohol… right? So she starts off with 1 day sobriety again. And she thinks Joey is going to break up with her… Is he? And what is Michael planning? Let me know what you think it could be.. leave me a review. R&R as always. BACK TOMORROW! **


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-seven.**

Lauren felt a bit brighter when she woke up the next morning. She had sat up for a couple of hours talking to Michael. She knew Joey wasn't keen on him, and at first neither was she, he kind of gave her the creeps, but now, after last night, she was kind of thawing to him a bit. He was easy to talk to and he made her laugh.

She'd told him her problems of finding a job and feeling like she was relying on Joey for things and Michael had offered her an admin job at the boxing club. He laughed at Lauren's squeal of glee when he told her he was deadly serious, and the office would be a brighter place with a gorgeous young woman around.

Lauren had forgone her run this morning to meet Michael at the Gym where he was going to show her the ropes. She was there for a few hours as he went through the tasks he wanted her to complete and they agreed part time hours, as Lauren told him she still needed to go to her counselling sessions and meetings.

For the first time in a long time, Lauren felt as though she'd accomplished something. She felt pleased with herself for finding her own job, she would be earning her own money, paying her own way again. Buying her own personal time of the month items instead of relying on Joey to buy them for her.

She decided to cook dinner for everyone, letting them all reap the rewards of her good mood, unfortunately Kat had plans with Bianca and Alice once again, had plans with Poppy.

Lauren felt disappointed that she'd gone to all this effort when no one was interested in sharing in her good news with her. That was until Michael came home. He was more than happy to have dinner with her.

They enjoyed each other's company and the conversation came easy to them both, he didn't push or pry into things Lauren didn't want to talk about. He even insisted on helping her clean up. During the cleaning up she thought she felt Michael brush up against her a few times but she shrugged it off as accidental, after all the kitchen was small.

Michael told her he would make them coffee, giving Lauren the chance to go to the bathroom, she left her mobile on the kitchen table.

Her phone rang and Michael saw it was Joey. He waited until it stopped ringing and then beeped indicating that she had a voice mail. He listened to Joey's message.

'Hey babe. Guess what? We won the football, raised £350 for the charity and made it to the local paper. Mum's insisting I bring a copy of the paper home for you. Hope you're okay babe, Call me when you can. I miss you. I'll talk to you later'

Michael deleted the message and the call from the call log. He put the phone down on the table with a smile and made some coffee.

Lauren came back just as he was walking into the lounge with a tray. 'I thought we could move somewhere a little more comfortable for coffee' he said with a smile

At 10:00pm Michael left the lounge to let Lauren go to bed.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Over the next couple of days, Lauren worked in the gym with Michael. She skipped her AA meetings and missed another counselling session. And she didn't even think anything about it. She was in a good place… she was working and she was happy.

When Joey came home he was disappointed not to find Lauren there waiting for him. He slumped down on the sofa with a frown. He tried to call her phone but heard it ring from the sofa. It had somehow fallen down the back.

A couple of hours later he heard the front door open, 'Lauren is that you?' he called out getting up to see Alice in the doorway.

'Hey you're back' she said giving him a hug 'how was mum?'

She's good' he said nodding his head 'wonders when you're next going to visit' he gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.

'Soon I promise' she told her brother.

'You'd better' he told her firmly 'Where's Lauren at?' he asked her.

'Er.. I don't know' Alice said to him 'She left early this morning, looked pretty smart…maybe she had a job interview or something?'

'How has she been?' he asked following her in the kitchen.

'Fine, been going on runs, going to her counselling, going to her meetings. She seems happier' Alice said to him.

'Oh?' Joey asked curiously.

'Yeah, I don't know what's happened, maybe she's had a breakthrough with her counsellor or maybe she feels like she is actually making some progress' Alice said to him.

'That's good' he said with a smile.

'Do you want a drink?' Alice asked him 'I'm meeting Poppy at the Vic later, I can spare you half an hour?'

'Gee, thanks Alice' he said rolling his eyes.

Joey and Alice went into the Vic. He got the drinks and they sat down at a table, Joey filled her in on the football match he'd played in.

Forty minutes later, Joey crossed the square to go back to his house, for some reason he turned his head, glancing down the market and he saw Lauren and Michael walking towards him. He frowned, knowing they'd both kept out of each other's way when they were at the house and Lauren had confessed to Joey that she found Michael creepy, yet now they appeared to be the best of friends.

He walked quickly back to the house, letting himself in and went into the lounge. He turned on the TV, trying to make it look as though he had been there for a while.

He heard them coming up the path, then a key in the door and Lauren giggling at something.

'Well you are a cheeky little minx aren't you hey and after everything I have done for you today!' Michael chastised her playfully.

'I thought you said you liked my cheekiness?' Lauren said as they walked into the lounge.

'Ah Joseph. You're back then?' Michael said. Lauren put her bags down on the armchair and took a couple more from Michael. 'Good trip?' he asked him. 'How is your mother?'

'Yes thanks. She's good' Joey was polite but curt.

'Well… I'd better get back to work and Lauren I'll see you bright and early Monday morning' he told her with a smile.

'We live in the same house, I think we'll see each other again before Monday' Lauren replied.

'That's very true' Michael nodded 'We will rendezvous in the kitchen later' he said with a wink. Lauren smiled with a nod. She turned to her bags as she heard him leave the house.

'You and Michael seem friendly' Joey said with more than a hint of jealousy in his voice.

'We've been talking' Lauren said shrugging her shoulders, 'he's actually pretty nice once you get to know him' she said looking through her bags.

'I know him well enough' he replied 'what did he mean about seeing you Monday morning?' he asked her with a frown.

Lauren sighed, stopped looking through her bags and turned to look at him. 'I'm working at the gym, Michael has given me a part time job; he says I can be flexible with my hours so I can go to my counselling sessions and AA meetings' she told him.

Joey blinked at her 'You're working for Michael?' Had he entered a parallel universe when he came home… or had everyone he knew been abducted by aliens?

'Yes' she said.

'And what's all this?' he gestured to the bags.

'Well I don't really have anything suitable to work in, so Michael generously offered to buy me some new things' she said.

'And what is he getting in return?' he frowned at her.

Lauren couldn't believe what Joey was implying, and she turned to face him, her hands on her hips as she stared at him, 'If I don't look right it won't reflect well on him or the business' Lauren replied 'He's made an investment in me which he says will pay off'

Joey shook his head 'I don't like this. I don't like the idea of you working for him'

'I don't care if you like it or not. You know how hard I have been trying to find a job and now I've got one you can't even be happy about it' she snapped at him before picking up her bags and taking them upstairs.

Joey watched her go, 'Welcome home Joey. I missed you too' he said as he sat down on the sofa with a sigh.

**AN: So Lauren is working with Michael at the gym. And they have embarked on a friendship. She is still skipping her AA meetings and her counselling sessions. Joey was expecting more of a welcome home from Lauren than he got. What's going to happen next? Read onto find out. R&R as always. So…if you want another chapter tonight….then you need leave me at least 11 reviews by 10pm! **


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-eight.**

An hour later Lauren made some coffees and took one through for Joey placing a cup down in front of Joey on the coffee table.

'Thanks' he said a little surprised.

'Oh! My phone!' she exclaimed, seeing it on the coffee table 'I thought I'd lost that'

'It was down the back of the sofa' he told her

'Thanks' she smiled at him, she put her cup down on the coffee table, picking up her phone. 'The batteries dead' she frowned.

'Give it here I'll plug it in for you' Joey held out his hand for the phone.

'Thank you' she said handing it to him. He plugged it in by the lamp, sitting it on the arm of the sofa.

'You look good' he said to her 'Things have been going okay?'

'Yeah fine' she nodded 'how did the match go?' she asked.

'Oh… we won. Raised a little money for charity' he shrugged.

'Yeah? That's really great' she smiled at him. 'Did you have fun with your friends?'

'Yeah it was good to catch up with them' he told her 'I'm not going to leave it so long next time before I go back' he said taking a sip of coffee. 'Mum wants me to make sure Alice goes next time too' Lauren nodded taking a seat next to him, pulling her legs up underneath her, cradling her cup in her hands. 'I was thinking maybe tonight we can go and see Peggy?' Joey suggested.

'I can't' Lauren told him 'There's a promotional party at the club, Michael needs me to go and hand out membership leaflets, that kind of thing' she said with a shrug 'maybe we can go some other time' she said to him and he nodded.

'Sure. It was just a thought, it's my first night back and I thought we could do something together, that's all' he said looking at her.

'Alice has missed you too, you should do something with her' Lauren suggested.

'So you did miss me then?' Joey asked her.

'Yeah course I did' she nodded. She looked at the clock 'Oh god, is that the time? I have to get the club decorations sorted before tonight'

'I can give you a hand if you'd like?' he asked her, hoping to spend a little time alone with her.

'That'd be great, the more the merrier. I have Fats, Tyler and Peter helping me too' she smiled at him 'I'll just put some sensible shoes on and then we can go'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey was impressed by how Lauren organised everyone and got them working, he couldn't help smile at the way she was cracking the whip.

He offered to go out and get coffees when Lauren said they could take a short break. When he came back he was a little jealous to see Peter and Lauren sitting close together talking quietly. He joined Fats and Tyler.

'She looks good' Tyler said to Joey 'Like she's getting a bit of her confidence back. A bit of the old Lauren is beginning to shine through'

Joey nodded, sipping his coffee. He glanced at Peter and Lauren and saw they were both laughing hysterically, she had tears rolling down her cheeks, Peter announced he had to go and Joey's jealousy kicked up a notch when he watched the two of them hug, he thought Peter held her for a little longer than was necessary.

Lauren walked to the bar, pulling herself up onto a stool as she sipped her coffee, she studied her notepad. He knew she was ticking off the things they'd already completed and was working out what still needed to be done.

'Okay guys coffee break is over' Lauren announced 'we have exactly one hour to finish decorating this place' she said to them. 'So let's get cracking'

Michael came in just as they'd finished 'Wow, Well look at this. And here I was worried it wouldn't be done on time' he said as he looked around at the banners and gym equipment that had been moved in. 'I came to offer a helping hand, looks like I needn't have worried. Well done you' he beamed at Lauren and she grinned back proudly.

'You like it?' she asked him.

'It's perfect' Michael nodded 'To be honest I was a bit concerned that you didn't get the concept I talked through with you, but I guess you're more than just a pretty face, aren't you hey?'

'Joey helped with the ideas too. He suggested we used the gloves…' Lauren said.

'Did he now?' Michael said, nodding his head 'Well. Thank you Joseph' he said briefly glancing at Joey, before retuning his full attention to Lauren. Joey could hear the disdain in his voice but when he glanced at Lauren he could see she hadn't heard it. 'You had better go and get yourself ready' he told her.

'Yes, I was just on my way' she nodded her head 'Thanks for all your help guys' Lauren said to them all as she made her way up the stairs.

An hour later she went back to the club and went to talk to the bar staff. She was surprised to see Joey behind the bar.

'I didn't know you were working tonight I thought you were taking Alice out?' she said to him.

'Alice is coming here. You're here, so I figured I may as well be too, beats sitting at home by myself, doesn't it?' he said as he let his gaze sweep over her. She was wearing a green fitted dress that flared at the bottom and stopped mid-thigh, her hair was down and loosely curled around her shoulders, just the way he liked it 'Lauren, you look…amazing babe' he said.

She looked at him 'Really? It's not too much?' she looked down at herself self-consciously 'I wanted to wear black trousers and a top but Michael insisted this dress was perfect for tonight' she looked up at him and he could see the worry in her eyes.

'You look great' he repeated again 'how about I make you a Joey Branning special cocktail to make you feel better hey?'

Lauren nodded, she sat down on a bar stool and watched Joey working. Minutes later he put a fruit cocktail down in front of her, looking at her expectantly. She picked it up and took a sip, closing her eyes. 'Mmm, this is good' she said, looking up at him with a smile.

'Glad you like it' he smiled back at her 'Listen I was thinking, well hoping actually, are you free tomorrow night?' he asked her 'I thought maybe we could talk?'

Lauren sipped on her cocktail and she nodded 'I'm not busy tomorrow night' she said softly 'but aren't you working?'

'Traded it with tonight on the off chance you were free' he said softly 'I was thinking maybe we could go for dinner somewhere outside of the Square' he looked at her 'So we can be alone'

'Can't we just talk at home?' she asked him.

'Sure if that's what you want' he nodded.

'I'd rather do that than go out' she said.

'Okay, we'll do that then' he said trying not to show his disappointment. Michael came in he clapped his hands.

'Right, let's get this started then shall we. Lauren, a moment please' he said.

Lauren slid off her stool, following Michael away from the bar.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

As the night went on Joey kept an eye on Lauren and Michael. He wasn't happy with the amount of attention Lauren was getting from the prospective male members of the club. There was a lot of testosterone in the room. He watched as she flirted with several of the young men as she handed out leaflets. Once she had given them all out she went back to the bar and Joey produced another cocktail for her. 'Thanks, I need this I am so thirsty' she told him.

'I figured' he smiled at her 'So tonight has gone well then?'

'Yeah I think so' she nodded 'Michael seems pleased anyway' she glanced at him.

'Business should be booming' Joey nodded in agreement. Lauren took a long sip of her drink, glancing at the stairs as Lucy and Whitney came in, Alice and Poppy close behind them. Joey saw Lauren tense when she saw Whitney and Lucy, and was surprised the girls didn't come over to her. Alice, on the other hand, grinned and came over to her.

'Hello you, oh you look great' she said.

'Thanks' Lauren grinned at her, Alice looked at Lauren's drink.

'That looks yummy. Can I have one of those too please Joey?'

'Of course' he said and turned away to make one for her. He placed the drink on the bar and Alice picked it up taking a sip.

'Mmm, this is really nice' Alice told him softly.

'Only the best for my two favourite girls' Joey smiled the two girls. He glanced down the bar and left them briefly to go to serve some people.

Alice looked at her cousin. 'Is everything okay between you and Joey?'

'Yeah why?' Lauren asked her, slightly confused.

'Only I thought you and Joey were back together' she said to her 'So I'm a little confused because you don't act like you're back together. I mean you're not acting the way you were when you were together the first time. You act more like… cousins'

'We're friends' Lauren said to her 'that's all' she shrugged.

Alice frowned 'Really?' she asked her 'I caught you two in a pretty heated making out session on the kitchen table….friends don't do that' she said.

'Which he apologised to me for the next day' Lauren said 'He said it was a mistake and it shouldn't have happened. He said he was sorry'

Alice looked surprised 'Really?' she frowned at her.

'Yes' Lauren nodded 'He did and he wants to talk, tomorrow night'

'About what?' Alice asked her.

'Us' Lauren said. She glanced at Joey and saw him with the blonde from before.

'So are you okay about it? Just being friends then?' Alice asked her.

'I'll have to be, won't I?' Lauren asked her, the tone of her voice revealing how she really felt, more than her words did 'I mean Joey's already moved on, so…' she said, Alice followed her gaze and saw the blonde he was with 'I think I am going to call it a night' she said as she slid off the stool, 'I'll see you later Alice'

'Lauren…' Alice called after her as she watched her cousin walk away.

When Joey came back he frowned 'Where's Lauren?' he asked his sister.

'She's gone home' she told him.

'Why?' Joey frowned.

'Are you and Lauren okay?' she asked him.

'What do you mean?' he looked at her confused.

'I mean you and Lauren are just friends right?' Alice asked him.

'I think we're more than that Al' Joey said.

'Really? So what was the flirting with the blonde about?' she asked him,

'I wasn't flirting' Joey replied shaking his head. 'I was just doing my job…'

'No? It's not what it looked like from where I was sitting and apparently from where Lauren was' she told him 'She thinks you and her are just friends, I mean you act like friends' she told him.

'We are more than friends' Joey told her firmly.

'Really?' Alice asked him 'so the talk you're going to have with Lauren tomorrow is about what?'

'She told you about that?' Joey asked surprised.

'Yeah she did. I think she thinks you are going to tell her that you are seeing that blonde' she told him.

'What? No! Of course I'm not, Lauren knows I love her' Joey exclaimed 'She knows she's the one I want'

'Actually I don't think she does' Alice shook her head 'why didn't you take her home to meet mum?' Alice asked him.

'Has she mentioned something about that?'

'No, but I could tell she was a bit disappointed that you didn't suggest she went with you'

'I wanted to take her' he said leaning on the counter 'I just thought it might be too much pressure on her, meeting mum for the first time. Mum gave me no end of grief for not bringing Lauren. I know I was only gone for a few days but I missed her like crazy'

'Well then maybe you should be telling Lauren that, because after you apologised for what I walked in on in the kitchen a few weeks back, she thinks you've changed your mind about her, about being with her'

'What? No! That's crazy' Joey frowned shaking his head. 'She doesn't think that'

'Do you see her here now?' she asked him.

'Well no but..' he frowned, pausing as he thought about what Alice was saying, that would explain a lot, if that was the way Lauren was thinking.

'Joey you need to talk to her' Alice said softly.

'I can't. I'm working' he said 'I don't get off until 1:00am'

'And Lauren will probably be awake. I know she's still not sleeping well' Alice told him 'I can hear her walking around the house at all hours'

'Yeah, I'll talk to her when I get home' he nodded his head.

**AN: Well the promotional gym night went well and Michael is pleased with Lauren's hard work. Alice and Joey have talked and Joey has finally realised that Lauren doesn't think they're together anymore. She thinks he is with the blonde he has been "flirting" with. Who is this mysterious blonde woman? Will Lauren be awake when Joey gets home? How will the talk go? R&R as always.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-nine.**

Joey let himself into the house at 1:00am as quietly as he could. He walked into his bedroom and sat down on the bed, leaving the door open. He ran his hands over his face with a sigh. He decided to get ready for bed first and then he would see if Lauren was still awake, which he hoped she would be.

He went up to the bathroom and changed into a pair of pyjama bottoms, he felt a bit cold and he looked for his robe, but it wasn't in its usual place hanging on the back of the door. He cleaned his teeth and used the bathroom before going back downstairs. He noticed the light coming from underneath the lounge door, he quickly looked in his room for his robe but couldn't find it, so instead he pulled on a t-shirt and walked towards the lounge; he knocked gently on the door.

'Come in' he heard Lauren call softly. He took a breath, licking his lips as he opened the door, Lauren was sitting on the sofa in the dark, the duvet draped over her so only her head was showing, the only light in the room was coming from the TV. Joey flicked the lamp on and looked at her.

'Hey' he said softly 'Are you cold?'

'A little' she nodded 'are you just back?'

'Yes' he said 'It was a busy night' he told her, her arm appeared from under the duvet. She turned the TV off.

'Is that my robe?' he asked her.

'No' she lied and her face flushed red at the obvious lie 'Yes….I was … cold' she told him.

'I've been looking for that' he told her softly.

'Sorry' she said sheepishly 'It was hanging in the bathroom….' she said letting him know she hadn't gone into his room.

Joey shook his head 'It's okay' he smiled 'can I sit down?' he asked her.

'Sure' she said, moving the duvet to make some space for him, bunching it around her body.

''I talked to Alice tonight'

'Well she is your sister, I would be worried if you didn't' she replied picking at an imaginary spot on the duvet, avoiding his gaze.

'We were talking about you' he said 'about us'

Lauren nodded and sighed 'you don't have to say anything else, I had a feeling this was coming' she told him 'I've already been looking for other places, and there are a few bedsits I can afford, I can be gone by tomorrow night' she said softly.

'What?' Joey frowned 'you think we want you to move out? You think I want you to move out?' he asked her.

'Don't you?' Lauren asked him, surprise evident in her voice 'Isn't that one of the things you wanted to talk about?'

'No. Of course not' he shook his head 'why would you think that?' Lauren shrugged with a sniff. She climbed off the sofa, crossing the room to the window, pulling back the curtains to peer out. 'Babe…'

'Don't call me that….' She said quietly shaking her head.

He frowned and got up, moving to stand behind her 'Why not?' he asked her. He heard her sniff again, her hand moving across her face and he wondered if she was crying. 'Hey, what's wrong?' he asked her, he tried to turn her around but she wouldn't let him 'Lauren, why are you upset?'

'Look I've already said I can move out tomorrow and you can see that other girl without having a guilty conscience' she told him.

'What other girl?'

'The one from the club' she replied, sniffing again

'Alice was right' Joey said softly 'You think I'm seeing someone else'

'You seemed pretty familiar with her' she replied 'before and after you came back from your mums'

Joey sighed 'I told you. You're the one I want Lauren, that hasn't changed' he told her 'Look at me'

'No' she said, shaking her head and she let the curtain fall.

'Look at me' he repeated firmly. She sighed, closing her eyes and turning towards him. She opened her eyes, he stooped slightly so his head was level with hers; he looked her directly in the eyes, cupping her face in his hand. He held her head in place as she tried to turn it away from him 'Babe look at me please' he said softly. Reluctantly she looked at him, he brushed away the tears that fell 'I love you' he told her firmly but softly 'I want you. No one else' he said shaking his head 'I've told you that'

Lauren sniffed, licking her lips as she pulled his hands away from her face. She pushed him out of her personal space and walked over to the sofa 'No you don't' she shook her head 'This is just you feeling guilty, you feeling sorry for me and I don't need that Joey. I don't want that and I don't deserve that' she shook her head as she sat down on the sofa 'I don't want you to pretend you want to be with me because you think telling me you don't is going to push me over the edge, push me back onto the drink, because it won't' she told him 'and even if it does that's down to me not you' she added.

Joey sighed 'You're going to tell me how I feel now?' he asked her raising his eyebrows in surprise 'I don't pity you Lauren, I don't feel guilty and I am not pretending I want to be with you' he told her as he retook his seat beside her 'Is that what you thought I wanted to talk to you about? Breaking up with you and asking you to move out?'

'There's nothing to break up. We're not together Joey. We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, we're more like…cousins, even Alice thinks so' she said to him 'and I saw the way you were flirting with the girl in the bar'

'The girl in the bar is Robbie's girlfriend' he told her 'Robbie the new bartender and she acts like that with everyone, I wasn't flirting with her' he said shaking his head.

'That's not what it looked like to me and Alice'

'Sounds like you were jealous' he said to her. Lauren sighed, picking at a loose thread on the hem of his robe. 'You don't need to be' he covered her hand with his as she pulled the thread free 'Hey! That's my robe!' he said 'I like it the way it is thank you' he told her, she looked at up at him briefly 'You are my girl, Lauren' he said softly 'maybe I have been over cautious around you'

'You apologised after what happened in the kitchen.' Lauren told him 'you told me it shouldn't have happened' she frowned at him 'you haven't even tried to kiss me or touch me since I got here, you don't want to be with me, you'd rather get yourself off than be with me'

'Is that what you think?' Joey ran his hands over the lower half of his face. He stood up and walked to the fireplace, resting his hands on the mantle, his head bowed.

'It's what I know' Lauren replied, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'It's late Joey. You should go to be.' He glanced into the mirror and saw her sorting out her bed on the sofa, she plumped up a pillow, putting it down again and moving onto the duvet. She shook it and lay it down on the sofa. She straightened up, walked to the door of the lounge, opening it. Neither of them moved, Lauren looked up at Joey and saw he was staring at her. 'Joey please' she frowned at him, on the verge of tears.

He crossed the room slowly, stopping in front of her, Lauren dropped her gaze, she felt him tuck her hair behind her ear, and she looked up at him, his fingers trailed along her cheek, his thumb brushed across her lips. Lauren swallowed as Joey caught her chin with his fingers and raised her face towards his.

**AN: So, it looks as though Lauren and Alice added 2 and 2 together and got 5. Is there anything Joey can to do to convince her she's the one he wants? Is Lauren going to move out? R&R as always. **


	30. Chapter 30

**AN: Okay so as you have all be so nice with your reviews lately… here is a bonus chapter for tonight. From tomorrow there will be only 1 chapter per night….. enjoy..**

**Chapter Thirty.**

Joey gazed at her for long moments before he slowly moved forward, brushing his nose against hers lightly, before pressing his lips against hers. Her breath caught in her throat, his lips trailed over her face, placing soft kisses on her nose, her forehead, her cheeks and the hollow beneath her ear before he kissed her neck. She gave a soft moan as his hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him. He had barely touched her and she was already incredibly aroused. Suddenly he pulled away from her, he brushed her lips once more with his and then stepped out of the lounge.

Lauren frowned, wondering why he would leave, yes she had told him to, but after he'd just kissed her like that. How could he just leave? Her heart was pounding in her chest, it almost stopped when he paused in the hallway, turning round to look at her expectantly. Her gaze dropped to his outstretched hand. Joey could see her hand was shaking as she slid it into his. He turned and walked towards his room, pulling her behind him, he paused once she was inside to close the door.

She swallowed nervously as Joey turned to look at her, pulling his t-shirt over his head as he did so, letting it drop to the floor. Lauren's eyes travelled over his naked torso. Joey stepped towards her, she in turn stepped backwards, until she felt her back hit the bedroom door. He cupped her face with one hand, pressing his lips against hers. Her hands moved to his waist as his tongue traced her lips, she allowed him entry and they both groaned at the contact. His tongue slid lazily against hers, savouring the moment, the taste of her. He groaned when he felt her hands move to his back and pull him closer to her.

He broke the kiss, trailing his lips to her throat, stopping when his robe got in the way, he pulled at it with his hands, pushing it off her shoulders to give him better access. It was at that moment he realised Lauren was potentially naked beneath it. That thought turned him on a little more. He groaned against her neck, sucking on the skin, one hand moved down the robe and Lauren thought for a minute he was going to undo the belt, but he didn't, his hand kept moving downwards past the belt. He swept his hand underneath the robe and found her naked thigh, he squeezed gently, moving his hand upwards. He groaned again discovering, as he suspected and hoped, that she was in fact completely naked beneath his robe. He moaned softly as he pressed his fingers against her, finding her already wet.

Lauren's hands slid over the back of his pyjama bottoms, squeezing his tight firm bum as he pushed one finger inside her. She gasped as his thumb brushed against her clit in slow steady rhythm, matching the slow thrusts of his finger. He added a second and then a third finger. She was so wet for him already.

Joey felt Lauren's hands slide inside the back of his pyjama bottoms, she dug her nails into his skin, Joey sucked in his breath; she pushed the bottoms down, hooking one of her legs over his hips, opening herself up to him further. He caught it with his free hand, removing his fingers, he stepped closer to her, he encouraged her to raise her other leg off the floor, until they were both wrapped around his waist.

His mouth closed over hers as he thrust inside her in one swift hard movement, swallowing her cries of pleasure and surprise. He knew he wasn't going to last long, it had been too long since they had been together this way. He knew sex with Lauren was good, amazing even, but he had forgotten that it felt like this. Every single one of his nerve endings felt as though they were on fire, he thrust into her hard and fast, his thumb moving between them to rub her clit, wanting her to come when he did.

They broke the kiss to breathe and he lay his head in the crook of her neck, against her shoulder. 'Fuck Lauren!' he moaned loudly, his breathing coming hard and fast.

'Ah Joey!' she cried out, louder than she'd intended, she turned her head, pressing it against his neck. He felt his orgasm building and knew he couldn't hold it off for much longer, he pinched her clit hard and she shattered, her walls rippling around him, pulling his release from him. He came hard, pulsing inside her, causing her orgasm to continue. She felt him slowing down with his thrusts, until he eventually stopped.

'God, I love you, Lauren Branning' he murmured against her throat breathlessly.

'I love you too, Joey' she whispered back.

He felt like his legs were going to give way any second. He moved his hands to cup her bottom, turning, he walked over to the bed, lowering them both down on it.

She felt him withdraw from her, he undid the belt on her robe, pushing it open. He crawled up her body, pressing opened mouthed kisses over her bare skin. Joey kissed her hip bones, her belly button, she giggled and wriggled as he swirled his tongue inside it. Her giggling turned into a moan as his hot wet mouth closed over her nipple, lathing it with his tongue, alternating between sucking it and teasing it with his tongue. He released it from his mouth and blew on it, watching her nipple stiffen into a peak before his eyes. He turned his attention to her neglected breast, giving it the same treatment before kissing her deeply, she felt his erection on her thigh.

'Joey… please' she whispered, breaking the kiss. He pressed a soft gentle kiss to each nipple and moved over her, pushing her knees wide apart. He ran his cock along the length of her folds, covering himself with her moisture, before he slowly pushed himself inside until he was fully seated in her warmth.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Much later, Joey smiled down at her 'Do cousins do that?' he asked her.

Lauren giggled 'We are cousins, Joey' she reminded him.

'Then I guess they do' he replied bending his head to kiss her, rolling them so he was laying on his back with Lauren draped over him. 'So, did the last…' He turned to look at the clock on the bedside table it was 3:00am, 'two hours convince you that I want you?' he asked her.

'A little' she nodded her head.

'Only a little?' he raised his eyebrows 'Well if you need more convincing I would be only too happy to carry on' he said to her drawing her into a kiss.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

That night Michael crept down the stairs, hoping to catch Lauren in the kitchen, he frowned when he saw the lounge door open, 'Lauren?' he whispered softly, peering into the room. He saw the empty bed on the sofa, thinking she may have already been up for a while, he crept to the kitchen, disappointed to find it empty. He walked back down the hall towards the stairs and paused looking at Joey's bedroom door. He contemplated opening it, deciding against it he turned back to the stairs. Michael changed his mind and he faced the bedroom door, carefully opening it just wide enough for him to be able to see inside.

Anger flared in his stomach as he saw Lauren in bed with Joey, wrapped safely in his arms, both of them clearly naked, the stench of sex hung in the air. His nostrils flared. He shut the door and went back up the stairs to his room.

**AN: Finally Lauren and Joey have given in to their needs and had some very hot and much needed sex. But why is Michael angry that Joey and Lauren have worked things out? R&R As always.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One.**

Lauren woke the next morning lying on her stomach, her head turned towards the door. She frowned and blinked, wondering how the sofa in the lounge was somehow facing the door.

She realised quickly she wasn't in the lounge, she was in Joey's room. The events of last night came back to her and she grinned, turning her head she saw Joey was awake and watching her.

'Morning babe' he said softly.

'Morning' she smiled at him a little shyly.

'Are you convinced now?' he asked her. Lauren pretended to think about it a little and then she shrugged 'Need a little more convincing do you?' he smiled, moving towards her. She nodded with a giggle as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, brushing her hair away from her neck and kissing her there too. She smiled as she felt his lips at the nape of her neck and then trail over her shoulder blades before his lips began to move down her spine. Despite the fact he wasn't touching her intimately she found his actions extremely erotic. His lips kissed the plump roundness of her bottom and he bit down bluntly on her flesh. His hands moved underneath her stomach, pulling her up onto her knees. Lauren wondered what he was going to do, until she felt his breath between her legs, he licked her length and then plunged his tongue inside her. She whimpered slightly at the sudden intrusion. He teased her with his tongue, causing her to tremble and shake with need.

'Joey…..' she whined and he smiled enjoying the affect he was having in her. He kissed her bottom again and trailed his lips back along her spine, nipping at her neck when he reached it. 'Joey….' She whimpered again. He took pity on his girlfriend, he'd planned to drag this out for a bit longer but she clearly needed him to be inside her as much as he did.

He entered her slowly from behind, pulling her hips hard against him, being rewarded with a long soft moan from the girl beneath him. Lauren found that in this position, Joey was deeper inside her and she could feel everything she usually felt x 500. She gave another groan as he started a slow pace, twisting his hips as he pulled her back against him. He started to move faster inside her and she bit down on her bottom lip hard, almost drawing blood to stop herself from screaming. Joey was grunting behind her, a tell-tale sign that his release was imminent. She moved her hand to her clit and started to rub it hard and fast, wanting to come when he did. He thrust harder into her when he realised what she was doing. Moments later they both came together loudly, with one of the most intense orgasms they'd both ever had.

They collapsed on the bed, both spent 'move in with me' he said softly.

'What?' Lauren raised her head to look at him.

'I want you to move in with me, move into my room' he told her.

'Joey…'

'Lauren I'm serious about us, about you' he told her 'We've spent enough time apart over the past 6 months, we both know what we want, how we feel about each other, I want you to move in with me properly' he said stroking her cheek 'I want this every night, every morning, not just once in a while' he told her.

Lauren looked up at him and smiled nodding her head in agreement 'me too' she told him softly.

'So is that a yes?' he said, as a slow smile spread across his face.

'Yeah it is' she nodded, stealing a kiss. Joey was about to kiss her again when her stomach rumbled loudly.

'We need to eat' he said, suddenly feeling hungry too. 'Go take a quick shower and then I'll take you for breakfast at the café' he said.

'Mmm, can we have bacon, eggs, beans, sausage and toast?' she asked him.

'Hungry are we?' he grinned at her.

'I'm starved' she nodded.

'You can have anything you want' he told her 'So the sooner you shower….'

Lauren got out of bed, grabbing Joey's robe and wrapping it around her body. She practically ran to the bathroom, leaving Joey laughing in the bed.

He got up and pulled on his jogging bottoms once he'd retrieved them from the floor and went into the lounge. He tidied up Lauren's bed, carrying everything to his room. Back in the lounge, he opened the curtains and grabbed her phone. He heard the shower stop as he went back to his room, putting her phone on the bedside table. He made his way up the stairs and loitered outside the bathroom. She opened the door and gave a small yelp of surprise seeing him there. He grinned at her, stealing a kiss as they changed places.

'We're leaving in fifteen minutes babe' he told her, slapping her rear as she walked past him. She went back into his room, shutting the door. She saw he'd moved the bag she was using as a wardrobe into his room and she smiled.

She got dressed quickly and brushed out her hair. A few minutes later Joey came back in. He got dressed as she put a little light makeup on her face and when she was done she turned to look at him. 'Ready' she asked with a smile. Joey nodded grabbing his jacket, keys and wallet and they left the house.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren took a seat whilst Joey ordered them the breakfast. He slid into the seat beside her.

'Did you order…?'

'A full English breakfast? Yes' he nodded his head, he smiled at her 'Are you okay?' he asked her

She nodded 'Yes' she smiled shyly feeling her cheeks redden as she thought about last night's bedroom activities.

'Why are you blushing?' he asked her with a grin, knowing what she was thinking about. If he was honest he couldn't stop thinking about it either, 'It's not as though we haven't done that before' he told her.

'I know' she said 'It just… it's different this time though'

Joey nodded, cupping her face in his hand and sliding his fingers into her hair 'Yeah it is' he nodded, moving forward and kissing her, his tongue sliding into her mouth as he deepened the kiss.

They heard Lucy and Whitney talking as they came into the café and their conversation stopped abruptly as they saw Joey and Lauren kissing. Joey gently but reluctantly ended the kiss and he smiled at Lauren. He turned his gaze to the two girls who walked up to the counter to order. They ordered a coffee and toast and looked around the café for somewhere to sit. There were only three empty seats and two of them were on Lauren and Joey's table.

The two of them exchanged glances and they looked at Joey and Lauren who were talking quietly. Whitney moved forward and she pulled out a chair. 'Mind if we join you?' Whitney asked with a smile as she started to sit down.

'That depends' Lauren said before Joey could say anything 'are you going ditch me to go drinking later?' she asked her.

Lucy's face flamed red 'See I told you she wouldn't want us to sit with them' Lucy hissed at Whitney.

Joey frowned confused looking between the three of them.'Lucy's right' Lauren said shaking her head 'I don't want you to sit with us' she told them both 'You can't pick and choose when you decide to be friends with me. And to be perfectly honest, friends like you I can do without' she snapped at them.

Whitney went as red as Lucy had, 'we're sorry Lauren, we didn't think when we planned the evening' she said to her 'we said we would come home'

'Are you still here?' she asked them turning her attention back to her boyfriend.

'Come on Whit' Lucy said tugging on her arm 'Let's go we'll sit outside' she pulled Whitney out of the café.

'What was that about?' Joey asked after they'd gone.

'It doesn't matter' Lauren shrugged dismissively.

Joey knew there was more to it than Lauren was letting on but he didn't want to push things, besides their breakfast had just been brought over, and he was starving too.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey took Lauren's hand as they walked back towards the house, he noticed her mood had changed since the interruption at the café. Once they reached the house he unlocked the door, letting her go in first. She sighed as she walked into the lounge and sat down. He followed her through.

'So what do you want to do today?' he asked her 'We can do whatever you want'

Lauren looked at him 'Can we go back to bed?' she asked him, Joey nodded smiling as he held out his hand, she took it and he pulled her up, leading her back into the bedroom. He closed the door and she moved into his arms.

**AN: The morning after the night before and they were both happy with the turn of events last night. And then Whitney and Lucy turn up at the café, ruining Lauren's mood, which didn't go unnoticed by Joey. Will he get to the bottom of things? Thank you all for the reviews. Shout out to the guest reviewers who I cannot reply to but read your reviews…to answer a question there are 119 chapters to this story! So plenty more to go! Leave me a review and let me know what you think about Revelery. R&R as always. **


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two.**

Joey and Lauren spent the rest of the weekend in his bedroom, only venturing out of bed to use the bathroom or to get food and drink.

Sunday night, they were having a playful argument about whose turn it was to get something to drink, Joey insisting he'd been the last one to go, whilst Lauren insisting it was her. To be truthful neither one of them wanted to move from where they were.

'We could text Alice' Lauren suggested half seriously 'get her to bring us something to drink'

'And shock her with the sight of her brother and cousin obviously naked in bed?' he asked, her raising his eyebrows 'she already knows we've been in here the entire weekend. Clearly she knows we haven't been playing scrabble' he replied.

'Well what suggestion do you have?' she poked him on the chest.

'We could text Kat?' he grinned at her and Lauren giggled.

'How about we both go?' she said raising her head to look at him.

'Okay' he said, rolling over and stealing a kiss which quickly became heated. Lauren pushed him away.

'Down boy! I'm thirsty here!' she giggled at the look at the disappointment on his face.

Joey groaned and reluctantly climbed out of bed, tossing Lauren his robe, she got up, pulling it on and tying it up. Joey pulled on some sweatpants and a vest top and followed her out of the room. They were both giggling as they went into the kitchen, finding Alice and Kat there.

'Oh, you two finally came up for some air, did you?' Kat teased them.

'Thirsty' Lauren said with a faint blush 'and Joey wants to play scrabble' she pulled an "I don't know why" face.

Joey blushed bright red 'Just get the drinks' he scolded her as he swatted her on the bottom playfully.

Alice smiled at them both shaking her head as Lauren opened the fridge and pulled out some cans of orange juice. She held them out to Joey and he shook his head. Rolling her eyes she put them back, spotting some of the power drinks he liked, so she got some of those out. She grabbed a couple of cans of coke, as she was about to shut the fridge and seeing a couple of chocolate mousses, she got those out too before closing the fridge door.

'Okay?' Joey asked her. She nodded with a smile. He shepherded her out of the room.

'Oh, you're not going to keep us company then?' Kat called after them. 'No small talk. Just back to the bedroom, back to the sex?'

'Kat!' Alice blushed as Kat laughed.

'Well come on, Alice we both know that's what they're doing in there' she told her 'you don't think they're playing scrabble or just talking? Joey doesn't even have a TV in there'

'He's my brother!' she hissed at her 'Oh! Lauren forgot to take some spoons' Alice said remembering the mousse Lauren had taken.

'Trust me darling, they're not going to be needing spoons'

'Well how else are they going to eat it?' Alice asked innocently. Kat burst into a fit of laughter.

They could hear Kat's cackling in their room. Lauren frowned as she sat down on the bed. 'If we can hear them in here. Then that means they can hear us in there' she said to Joey, her face turning bright red.

'So? We enjoy sex with each other' he said to her 'that's not a crime' he stripped off his clothes and climbed back into the bed. He grabbed one of the mousses and a bottle of his drink. He drank the whole bottle in one go and Lauren looked at him wide eyed. 'What? I was thirsty too' he said to her 'are you getting back into bed?' he asked her as he pulled the lid off the mousse. Lauren took off the robe, dropping it onto the chair, 'Where are the spoons?' he asked her looking on the bed for them.

'I didn't bring spoons' Lauren said as she crawled over to him. She reached for the mousse in his hand, taking it away from him.

'Hey that's mine! I want that!' he frowned at her.

'Don't worry babe, I got two' she told him with a sly grin 'You can have yours later' she said as she pushed him to lay down on the bed, she pulled the duvet off of him and straddled him, she rested the pot of mousse on his stomach and he flinched.

'Shit, that's cold!' he murmured.

'Big baby' Lauren teased him as her hand closed around his cock and she started to stroke him firmly. She dipped her fingers into the mousse and had a taste, 'Mmm, this is good' she said, licking her lips. Joey watched her wondering what she was going to do, but at the same time not really caring what she was going to do as long as she didn't stop stroking him. He felt himself harden in her expert hand and she looked down at his length. She moved her hand to hold him at the bottom of his shaft and scooped some more chocolate mousse onto her two forefingers and then watching Joey's face, she smeared it over his cock. She continued to do this until the mousse pot was empty and then moved off him briefly to put the chocolate mousse pot on his bedside table. The mixture of the cold mousse and the thought of what she was going to do made him harden even more and he jerked in her hand. She raised her mousse coloured fingers to his lips and he sucked them clean, with a soft moan. Lauren licked her lips and lowered her head. Her tongue licked the head of his cock and Joey almost came there and then. His knuckles were white as he grasped the sheets beneath him, fighting to keep his orgasm at bay. 'Ready babe?' she asked him in a soft sexy voice, Joey was more than ready and he told her so in no uncertain terms.

'Suck it! Suck it hard!' his voice was husky with lust.

Lauren smiled and took the head of his cock into her mouth alternating between sucking and running her tongue over it. Just as he was almost about to come she took him out of her mouth and she started to lick him like a lollipop, licking every single solitary inch of him, (and there were a lot of inches) until all the chocolate mousse was gone. Joey was coming undone at the seams just watching her. She held him at the base of his cock, raised her eyes to his and she took him into her mouth again. He could feel how far down her throat he was and he groaned as she started to suck and hum, the vibrations on his cock were phenomenal. He groaned loudly.

'Fuck Lauren! Harder' he mumbled as his eyes rolled back in his head. His hands moved from the sheets to tangle in her hair. He felt himself growing closer and closer, then suddenly he was out of Lauren's mouth. He opened his eyes in surprise and watched her stroking him hard and fast. He cried out her name loudly as he came, covering his stomach and her wrist with his sticky hot seed.

Lauren smiled and licked her wrist clean, then licked the remnants of his come off the head of his cock before licking his stomach clean. Joey felt himself getting aroused again just watching her. She trailed kisses up his torso, pausing to lick and kiss his nipples before she kissed his chin and then his mouth. Joey groaned as he tasted himself, mixed in with chocolate mousse. He rolled her on her back, holding himself over her with his arms.

'My turn?' he asked her

Lauren grinned and nodded. 'Yes please!'

**AN: In the words of Dot "Ooh I say!" Lauren and Joey had fun with that mousse. They also discovered the walls in the house are thinner than they thought! So the next chapter is Joey's turn with the mousse right? Nope, sorry… but you will get to see what Joey did with the mousse in a future chapter! R&R as always. **


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-three.**

Lauren, Kat and Tommy were in the kitchen having breakfast when Michael came in.

'So you and Joey are okay now then?' Kat asked her.

Lauren grinned and nodded 'We're more than okay' she said

'Well he's certainly put a spring in your step and a huge grin on your face' she told her with a smile 'So that makes him a good bloke in my book. Listen I was thinking later, Tommy's staying with Alfie tonight and I know Joey's working late at the club, and you have been cooking for us practically every night…'

'I don't mind cooking' Lauren said 'if I'm hogging the kitchen. If someone else wants to cook…' she said self-consciously.

'It's not that and to be honest I think we all appreciate you cooking' Kat said looking at Alice and Michael who were both nodding in agreement. 'I was just thinking maybe you and I could go out and get something to eat, have a girly night?' she suggested.

Lauren nodded 'Yeah. I'd like that, Kat'

'Good, me too. It's settled then' she grinned at her.

Lauren grinned as Michael sat down 'We'll be working late tonight Lauren'

'Come on Michael. You worked late every night last week' Kat said to her 'give the girl a break here' she told him 'Lauren and I are going out tonight, so deal with it' she told him standing up and picking up Tommy 'And if Lauren isn't home here and ready to go out at 7:00pm you are going to have to answer to me, Michael. Got it!' she frowned at him as she walked out of the room.

Lauren looked at him and he took a breath 'You can leave at 6:00pm' he told her 'You don't need that much time to get ready, beauty like you' he told her getting up 'I'll see you at the gym' he told her and walked out.

Lauren finished her breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, before going into the bedroom she now shared with Joey to get her bag, phone and keys. She turned to look at the sleeping man in the bed and smiled, running her fingers lightly over his face, giving him a soft kiss.

'I love you' she whispered softly.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Michael was waiting for her when she got to the gym, with a stack of paperwork that once she started to sort through she was fairly certain she'd already processed and filed away before the weekend. She glanced up at him with a frown, as he knew she would.

'Problem?' he asked her.

'No' she shook her head and carried on with her work. Michael barely spoke to her except to bark at her to answer the phone when it rang. She was relieved when it was lunchtime, she grabbed her bag and stood up. 'I'm just off to lunch' she told him.

'Great I'm starved' he said 'can you bring me back the usual?'

'Oh… I'm … Joey's buying me lunch in the Vic' she said to him.

'Well, isn't that nice of him? I'll get my own then I suppose' he frowned at her.

Lauren gave him a small smile and walked out.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Michael watched the clock and after fifteen minutes he decided Lauren had been gone long enough and he decided to get her back. He walked into the Vic and saw Lauren sitting with Joey, huddled close together at a table in the corner.

'Yes Michael, what can I get you?' Alfie said, resting his hands on the bar.

'My assistant back would be nice' he replied.

'Sorry, you've lost me' Alfie frowned.

'Give me a scotch' he said to him, Alfie nodded and a few seconds later put a glass down in front of him. Michael picked it up and drank it down in one. He walked over to Joey and Lauren, who were in the middle of a kiss. 'Ahem!' he cleared his throat, causing the couple to break apart to look at him. He raised his hand and tapped his watch looking directly at Lauren before he turned and walked away.

Joey frowned 'What was that about?'

'I think he wants me back at the gym' she told him.

'We haven't eaten yet' he said.

'I know, I'm sorry. I'd better go' she leant forward and gave him a quick kiss, 'I'll see you later tonight' she said, getting up and following Michael out.

She returned to the office as Michael was biting into his freshly purchased roll 'Glad to see one of us got to eat some food' she said as she sat down.

'Lauren' he said surprised 'I didn't expect you back so soon' he said.

'Really. What was the tapping your watch thing all about then?' she asked him, with a frown 'I'm entitled to a lunch break Michael, and more than fifteen minutes. I've been here since 8:00am and its 1:15pm' she told him, picking up some envelopes that had appeared on her desk, she looked through them.

'I thought you'd eaten'

'You think we can order food, have it cooked and eaten in fifteen minutes?' she frowned at him 'It's not as though we're that busy here today'

'What are you complaining for, you're getting paid, aren't you?' he asked her

'Yeah I am, for the hours I work' she said to him 'Flexible hours, remember?' she reminded him.

Michael looked at her 'I'm letting you go early tonight, aren't I?'

'After expecting me to work 12 hours straight without a break' she frowned at him.

'You would've had a break, we could've had lunch together, like we've done every day' he told her.

'And today, I wanted to have lunch with my boyfriend'

'Boyfriend. You can do so much better than Monkey Boy' he scoffed.

Lauren stopped what she was doing and looked at him 'Can you not call him that, please. Just because you didn't like Derek….'

'Nobody liked Derek' Michael said 'Not even Derek liked Derek'

'Joey isn't Derek' Lauren told him with a frown.

'Isn't he?' he asked her, raising his eyebrows.

'No' Lauren replied firmly 'He isn't'

'So tell me Lauren, what does a beautiful and highly intelligent young woman find so interesting about Monkey Boy' he asked her 'I mean he hasn't exactly got the best track record, has he?' he asked her 'You were away in rehab… fighting hard to overcome your addiction and what was he doing? Sleeping with your best friend and then after her, he's working his way through a long line of girls' he told her 'I hope you made sure he got tested before he stuck that part of his anatomy anywhere near you' he said to her 'He probably doesn't even remember the first time he had sex with you. You were just there, willing and available'

Lauren blinked at him 'Why don't you mind your own business' she snapped angrily.

'Touched a nerve, have I?' he asked her 'Does that mean you and Joey aren't "more than good" as you claimed you were this morning?'Lauren picked up her bag and coat 'Where are you going?' he called as she headed out of the office.

'I think I've worked enough for today' she told him and walked out of the gym.

Michael watched her go, he heard the door of the gym shut and he slammed his fists down on the table in frustration.

**AN: What exactly is Michael's problem with Lauren and Joey? They're not that busy so why has he employed Lauren to help him at the gym, if he is just going to make her redo work she's already done? What will happen during her evening out with Kat? R&R as always.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-four. **

Lauren spent the afternoon thinking about what Michael had said to her. She was still annoyed with him as she was getting ready to go out. Sitting on the bed, wearing Joey's robe, she put on her makeup using a small hand mirror. She heard the front door open and close and footsteps coming towards the room. She looked up and saw Michael standing in the doorway.

'I'm sorry' he said to her.

'For what?' she kept her eyes focussed on her reflection in the mirror. She wasn't going to make this easy for him.

'It would seem I upset you earlier' he said 'that wasn't my intention'

'Really? Because it seemed to me it was exactly your intention' she put her eye pencil down and checked both eyes carefully in the mirror.

'I just want you to be with someone who can give you everything you need, that you deserve' he told her 'and I'm sorry but I don't think Monkey Boy is the one who can do that'

'That's your opinion, which you're entitled to. But I'm sorry Michael you don't know Joey like I do. I know he loves me and I love him. He's all I want, he's all I need' she told him, satisfied that her makeup was good. She got up and crossed the room to stand by the door 'Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to get ready to go out' she said, closing the door in his face. Michael sighed and made his way into the lounge.

Kat and Lauren went to Scarlett's for their meal. Lauren smiled at Ian as she walked in.

'Hello Lauren, table for two?' he asked her with a smile.

'Please' she nodded, he looked distastefully at Kat as she walked in front of him.

Lauren sat down and picked up the menu 'What can I get you to drink?' he asked them.

'Can I have a cranberry juice and coke please?' Lauren asked him, Ian jotted it down in his pad.

'Of course and Kat?' he asked her.

'I'll have the same please'

'No, Kat will have a vodka and tonic' Lauren said to Ian. He nodded and went to get the drinks 'I'm the one who can't drink, not you. I don't want people to act differently around me' Lauren told her.

'All right' Kat said with a smile. As the night progressed Lucy and Whitney came in and they sat down at a table four tables away from Lauren and Kat.

They talked as they ate and Lauren found Kat was really funny and she enjoyed her company. They were both giggling and laughing when Ian brought over the dessert menu for them.

'No, thank you' Kat said 'I'm sweet enough as it is' Kat giggled 'And Lauren don't want none either, Joey will give her dessert later' she added, causing Lauren to blush and laugh. Lucy heard what Kat said and she frowned. She was about to get up and say something but Whitney stopped her.

Lauren and Kat paid the bill, splitting it between them. As they walked out Lauren smiled at Ian and thanked him for the food, Kat put her arm through Lauren's.

'I don't know about you but I'm in the mood for a little dancing' she said to her 'know of any good clubs around here?'

Lauren grinned and nodded and they walked towards R&R.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

They paid the cover fee and made their way down the stairs entering the heaving club, the bar was busy too. Lauren and Kat exchanged glances 'you all right darling?' Kat asked her.

Lauren nodded 'I'll get us a drink, you grab that table over there' she pointed 'before those blokes get it' Kat nodded as Lauren went to the bar. She pushed her way to the front and waited to catch Joey's eye. It didn't take long. She saw surprise cross his face as he saw her and then he smiled. He finished serving his customer and moved down towards Lauren, despite several complaints from other people that were there before Lauren, waiting to be served.

'Hey babe' he said and he reached across the bar for a quick kiss, which Lauren happily gave 'this is a surprise'

'Kat and I are in the mood for dancing' she said to him 'she's got the table and I came to get the drinks' she told him

'Okay what can I get you?' he asked her.

'Cranberry juice and coke and a vodka tonic, please'

Joey paused briefly before he turned to get the drinks, he placed them down in front of Lauren, she pulled out some money and handed it to Joey, a few moments later he came back with her change.

'Thank you' she smiled at him 'Have you had your break yet?'

He turned and looked at the clock 'Not due for another hour' he said when he turned back to look at her.

'Well maybe you can come find me. I'll save you a dance' she told him as reached across the counter again for another kiss.

Joey watched her as she made her way across the club with both drinks in her hands, he felt guilty for thinking she would take a sip of the vodka when she made it to Kat without doing so.

He kept his eye on Lauren throughout the night. He saw she was having a good time, laughing and joking with Kat and dancing with her too.

When his break came he got another two drinks and carried them over to them. 'Here you go' he said as he sat down.

'Thanks Joey' Kat beamed at him.

'So you two having a good evening?' he asked them both but looking only at Lauren.

'Yep' Lauren nodded as Kat took a sip of her drink.

'Oh excuse me. I need to visit the ladies room' Kat said and she got up, leaving the two of them alone. Lauren looked at Joey and smiled at him.

'It's busy here tonight' she said.

'Yeah it is, bit strange for a Monday' he said to her, looking around the club

'So it'll be a late finish?' she asked him.

'Yeah, I think so' he nodded 'unless it dies down a bit, which I don't see happening anytime soon' he said with a sigh as an influx of more people came down the stairs. He glanced at Robbie at the bar 'Babe I'm going to have to go and give Robbie a hand, he's getting slammed' he told her.

'Okay' she nodded her head.

'I'll see you at home later' he told her.

'If I'm asleep, wake me' she asked him softly.

'I will' he promised her although he had no intention of waking her if she was asleep, which he knew it was highly unlikely that she would be. 'Come here' he said, cupping her cheek in his hand and drawing her into a kiss, 'Laters babe' he murmured against her lips.

Lauren and Kat stayed for another couple of hours and then decided to call it a night. The club was still heaving, and Lauren thought she'd better let Joey work. She caught Joey's eye as she walked to the stairs and blew him a kiss. Hhe grinned and winked at her.

'I had a really good time tonight Kat, thanks' Lauren said with a smile as they walked into number 23.

'Me too. We'll have to do it again sometime, make a regular thing of it'

Lauren nodded 'I'd like that' she replied, Kat went up to her room and Lauren opened the door to Joey's room.

She got changed and took her makeup off, pulling on his robe, she went into the kitchen to make some coffee. She found Michael there already sitting at the table.

'Kettle's just boiled' he looked up at her.

Lauren made herself a coffee, put the spoon in the sink and walked to the kitchen door. 'I won't be in tomorrow' she told him 'I'm taking the day off' she left the room and Michael heard the bedroom door shut.

When Joey got home Lauren was asleep, sprawled over both sides of the bed. He smiled shaking his head. He stripped down to his boxer shorts and pulled back the covers, he picked her up and lay her down on the left hand side of the bed, before quickly getting in behind her.

'Joey?' she whispered softly.

'Yeah it's me babe' he said softly, pulling her gently towards him. He kissed her shoulder 'go back to sleep' he whispered. She rolled over in his arms, opening her eyes to look at him sleepily.

'What time is it?' she asked him.

'3:00am' he said quietly 'Did you set the alarm?'

'Not going in tomorrow, thought we could spend the day together' she replied as she snuggled up against him, resting her face in the crook of his neck, pressing a soft kiss there.

'Yeah, sounds good' he smiled 'Go back to sleep' he said as he yawned.

'Okay…night Joe…' she whispered.

'Night babe' he whispered back but she was already asleep.

**AN: Kat and Lauren had such a good time they're going to make it a regular thing. This never happened in the show but I think Kat and Lauren could've become really good friends…so this is the start of their friendship. Lauren's taking a stand against Michael. Wonder how he's going to react to that. R&R As always **


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-five.**

The next morning Joey let Lauren sleep in. He got up and had his breakfast and chatted with Alice and Kat.

'You and Lauren looked like you were having a good time last night' Joey said as he buttered his toast.

'Yeah we did' Kat smiled nodding her head 'Although next time I think I might follow her example with the no drinking' she said to her 'Good job it's B's turn to set up the stall this morning' she replied.

'She's doing well' Joey said as Michael came into the room.

'She's doing brilliantly' Kat said 'She wasn't tempted at all'

Joey smiled 'I know, I kept an eye on her. Thanks for going out with her, I worry about her being here alone' he told her.

'We're going to make it a regular thing' she told him.

'That'd be great' Joey grinned at her.

'So I take it Lauren's still in bed?' Michael looked at Joey.

'Yes, she is' he replied.

'Could you go and wake her please'

'No' Joey shook his head with a frown

'She needs to get ready for work' Michael told him.

'She's not going in today' Joey replied 'She told me last night'

Michael blinked at him 'I need her in work today' he replied calmly although inside he was feeling angry. 'We're busy'

'Like I said, she's not coming in today' Joey told him, he bit into his toast and then took a sip of coffee.

'I'll wake her myself' Michael said and turned to go towards the bedroom just as Lauren walked into the room and before Joey had time to react. 'Oh, you're awake' he said 'Splendid. You have half an hour to get ready for work' he instructed her.

'And like I told you yesterday. I'm taking the day off' Lauren replied. She sat down next to Joey, picking up his coffee and taking a sip.

Michael looked at her 'But I have a really busy day'

'Maybe you should've thought about that yesterday, and if by busy day you mean I have to refile all the stuff I did yesterday then tough, you can do it yourself' Lauren frowned at him.

'I need you' he protested.

Lauren looked at him 'Read my lips Michael. I'm not coming in' she said slowly.

Kat laughed 'She deserves a day off Michael' Kat said to him 'After all the hours she's put in lately'

He turned his gaze onto Kat and sighed 'Fine. Have today off. But I expect you in bright and early tomorrow morning' he told Lauren firmly.

'I'll be in at 8:30am' Lauren said to him.

'8:00am' he told her.

'8:45am'

'We open at 8:00am' Michael told her, his patience wearing thin.

'9:00am' Lauren said.

'All right fine 8:30am' Michael said. He stared at Lauren, Joey looked at him, not liking the look he was giving Lauren in the slightest.

'Didn't you just say you have a busy day?' Kat asked him, he nodded 'Well hadn't you better be going then?'

'Yes thank you, Kathleen' he glanced at her briefly 'So will l have the pleasure of your company in the office tomorrow morning, Lauren?' he asked her.

'Yes' she nodded. 'I will be in tomorrow'

'Fine thank you. Enjoy your day off' he said and walked out of the kitchen.

'I can see why Derek never liked him' Joey frowned.

'He's harmless enough, just a bit eccentric' Kat smiled at him 'adds to his charm'

Alice looked at Lauren 'Are you okay Lauren?' she asked her.

Lauren looked up at her and nodded. 'Yeah, I just had …weird dreams' she said with a frown and shook her head 'I'm sure I'll be fine after I've had a shower' she forced a smile on her face. Joey nudged her shoulder with his and she looked at him, he glanced at the table and she saw that he'd moved a piece of toast close to the edge of the plate for her. She smiled and took it. 'Thank you'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren showered and Joey popped out to get some supplies. When she came back she walked into the lounge to find Joey waiting for her. He'd closed the curtains and got the TV ready and there was a pile of DVDs for them to watch as well as some sweets, crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks. He'd also made a bowl of popcorn.

'Sit down and relax' he said to her 'We're going to have a lazy sofa day' Lauren grinned at him, he pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and she sat down, Joey sat beside her and he covered them both with the blanket. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leant against him. 'Ready for the first film?' he asked her. She nodded her head and he pressed the play button.

'Harry Potter?' she asked him in surprise.

'You told me once that you'd never seen the films because no one would go to the cinema with you' he told her 'So I thought we'd watch them together'

'Joey, that's so sweet' she said and she raised her head to kiss his cheek.

'Of course, if you tell anyone about this I will deny it until I'm blue in the face' he said making Lauren giggle.

She laid her head back on his shoulder and they started to watch the film. Her mind started to wander as she thought about the things Michael had said to her about Joey. That he probably didn't remember the first time they'd slept together.

She frowned, remembering the time he'd told her that sex with her was different from all the other girls he had slept with; he'd told her it was special. She knew it was special to her. She'd told him that too. Yes, okay, so she'd told him that after having a full blown hissy fit when she realised the great…no the amazing sex she'd just shared was with her cousin. After she'd called him a scumbag. She sighed loudly and Joey glanced at her.

She wondered if Joey thought it was special or if it was just a line….she frowned harder, no, she knew it wouldn't be a line. Lauren sighed again and Joey looked down at her, tearing his eyes away from the film they were watching.

'Everything okay?' he asked her. She nodded and he ran his fingers lightly over her forehead 'seems very busy in here. Is there anything you want to talk about?' he asked her. She shrugged. Joey reached for the remote control and paused the DVD. 'Okay. Come on, talk to me, babe' he said to her.

She closed her eyes briefly and then looked at him 'Do you remember the first time we had sex?' she asked him.

'Yeah, of course I do' Joey nodded 'I'm not likely to forget, am I, hey?' he asked her 'you were helping me look for a place to live, whilst I was looking at the drawings you'd done. You dropped the ones of me and I saw them when I helped you pick them up, we shared a moment and then we both agreed we weren't going to start anything. You turned back to look at me at the same time I looked at you and we started something' he told her with a shrug 'did you think I'd forgotten?' he asked her with a frown.

'No' she shook her head, laying her head on his shoulder 'maybe' she added in a whisper.

'Why would you think that?' he asked her.

'I don't know' she said, looking down at her hands.

Joey raised her chin with his fingers. 'I fancied you from the first moment I saw you' he told her 'before I knew you were my cousin, even then it didn't stop me fancying you. Didn't stop me going after what I wanted' he said softly

'Derek ….' she trailed off 'Derek told me once that all you were interested in was getting laid, as often as possible' she told him.

'Yeah, maybe I was…before you' he told her, 'Derek wasn't exactly the best role model for me growing up. Beating up my mum, in and out of prison, hitting me' he said and he licked his lips 'Is it any wonder I have trust issues? That I have no clue how a normal loving relationship is supposed to work?' he asked her 'All I know is I can't stand not to be with you. You bring out something in me no one else has, well other than my mum and Alice' he said to her 'They see a different side of me that no one else gets to see'

'Do I see this side of you?' she asked curiously.

'Yeah, of course you do' he told her 'I'm sitting here watching the Harry Potter films with you. Do you really think I would do that with anyone else?' he asked her

'Well Alice' Lauren shrugged.

'Nope. Not even with Alice' he said shaking his head 'Not even when she begged and cried' he told her.

'Joey, that's so mean!' Lauren slapped his thigh, laughing softly.

'Big brothers are supposed to be mean sometimes' he told her 'besides that was years ago and I had more important things to do with my time than sit at home with my baby sister and watch films about pimply pubescent wizards'

'Like what?'

'Getting laid as often as possible' he said grinning from ear to ear, earning himself another slap.

Lauren rolled her eyes at him 'Typical' she said, laying her head on his shoulder again as Joey laughed at her reaction.

'You and me, we're the real thing, babe. I don't want anyone else. I just want you' he shrugged 'I love you Lauren Branning and nothing and no one is going to tear us apart again' he told her seriously. She raised her head to look at him.

'I love you too, Joey' she said softly and moved forward, kissing him gently.

'So… can we watch the movie now?' he asked her 'I want to know which house the sorting hat picks for Harry' he told her.

'Yes, we can watch the movie' Lauren giggled as Joey pressed the play button, she leaned forward and whispered in his ear 'It's Griffyndor'

'Oh, now that's just mean!' he scolded her pulling her closer to him as she giggled.

**AN: Lauren and Joey are having a day together and they are talking. Although the things Michael said to her are playing on her mind. She's spoken about them a little to Joey but there's more that she is worried about. Is she going to talk about these things with Joey? R&R as always. **


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-six.**

Lauren and Joey watched three of the Harry Potter films and even though Joey knew she had eaten the majority of the popcorn and chocolate that he had opened, Lauren claimed she was hungry and fancied a burger in the Vic. So that was where they were currently waiting for their lunch.

Lauren was teasing him about the films and Joey admitted, albeit reluctantly (helped by Lauren tickling him) that he was enjoying the Harry Potter films and couldn't wait to see the next one and yes, he was sulking because Lauren wanted to go out for a pub lunch. She smiled and whispered in his ear how she'd make it worth his while causing him to blush slightly.

'Lauren Branning!' he exclaimed pretending to be shocked 'Will there be chocolate mousse involved?' he inquired causing Lauren to blush, her face now matching his.

'I think that could be arranged if you're a very, very good boy' she said her eyes twinkling as she smiled at him.

'Oh? Well I think you'll find I am always a very, very good boy' his voice was low, sexy as hell and he leant towards her for a kiss. Lauren smiled, closing the distance between them, kissing him in return. His tongue traced her lips and she opened to him. He deepened the kiss and she sighed into his mouth.

Michael walked in and glanced over at them. 'Michael, what can I get you?' Roxy asked him, catching his attention.

'I was going to ask for a sandwich but seeing that has just put me off my lunch' he nodded his head towards Lauren and Joey.

'What?' Roxy said and she followed his gaze. 'I think it's romantic. Look at them, they're clearly head over heels for each other, and after what Lauren's been through the last 6 months, she deserves a little happiness doesn't she?'

'And where was he, hey? When she really needed him?' he asked her 'When she was at rock bottom? Where were all her friends?' he frowned 'They dropped her, he dumped her' he said and pointed at Joey whilst looking at Roxy 'Instead of helping her, he made her worse' he snarled at her 'She deserves better than Monkey Boy' he said.

'Well, he's making up for it now isn't he hey?' Roxy said.

'Maybe it isn't enough' Michael said to her 'too little too late, I say'

'Isn't that Lauren's decision to make?' she asked him.

Michael sighed and looked at Roxy 'Scotch' he told her.

Roxy got him a scotch, he put the money on the bar, picked the glass up and drank it down in one and turned walking out of the pub.

Roxy shook her head as she picked the glass up and put it in the glass washer. She glanced over at Joey and Lauren and watched as he stroked her cheek and stole another kiss. It was definitely romantic.

After they'd eaten, Lauren and Joey went back to the house and Joey started the next film, eager to watch. Lauren laughed and snuggled up against him, he turned and he kissed the top of her head.

Lauren's mind wandered again as she thought once more about her conversations with Michael. Distracted, she got up and went into the kitchen to make a coffee. After 15 minutes Joey realised she hadn't come back and he frowned, pausing the DVD and getting up to find her. She was standing near the sink, looking out of the window.

'Something interesting going on out there?' he asked her.

She turned and she looked at him 'Mmm? No… not really, I was just thinking' she said, frowning as she chewed on her bottom lip. 'I need to ask you something, Joey' she said to him.

'Okay' he said, pushing his hands into his pockets and leaning against the fridge.

Lauren lowered her gaze to the floor briefly and then let out a breath 'the girls you slept with…..were you … were you careful?' she asked him 'I mean you did use something?'

Joey blinked at her, a little stunned by the question, 'Yes' he nodded his head, answering without hesitation 'of course' he looked at her.

'Even with Lucy?'

'Yes' he said, again without hesitation. He looked at her with a curious look on his face 'Why are asking me this now?' he asked her.

'I just… I was just wondering' she said to him.

'No, it's more than that' he said looking at her 'I know you, Lauren…. You ask me if I remember the first time we had sex, if I used protection with the girls I slept with while you were gone…..sounds me to as though someone's been putting doubts in your head'

'It was just something Michael said' she shrugged 'I didn't really think much about it at the time because I knew he was just trying to annoy me, but I couldn't stop thinking about what he said and...'

'You have doubts about me' he said.

Lauren looked at him and swallowed 'Not doubts….just niggles….' She gave him an apologetic look.

'I get it… I do' he nodded 'I know I screwed up' he told her 'my only defence is, I really thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd lost you and it was too late for me to do anything about it. I never dared imagine or hope you'd come back here, that you'd still want to be with me, especially after everything I knew I had to tell you' he told her.

'But you didn't tell me, did you?' she asked him 'I found out from someone else' she told him.

'If you'd come to see me first I would've told you before anyone else could' he told her truthfully 'Babe. You know how I feel about you, and you feel the same way or you wouldn't have given me a second chance, would you, hey?' he asked her 'Lucy… the other girls… meant nothing to me, it was just sex' he said 'and yes, I used condoms with all of them'

'You don't use them with me' she looked up at him.

Joey swallowed and he nodded his head. 'I know' he licked his lips 'I don't like using condoms with you, I want to feel everything…..all of you…' he frowned as a sudden thought came into his head 'you're still on the pill, aren't you?' he asked her. She nodded her head 'do you want us to use condoms? Because I can go out and get some, right now' he said, moving closer to her.

'No' she said softly, looking down feeling her chees grow hot as she blushed 'I like feeling all of you too' she whispered.

He took a deep breath 'do you want to know what I remember from the day we slept together for the first time?' he asked her. She nodded raising her head to look at him. He reached out with his hand and smiled at her as he tucked her hair behind her ear. 'I remember feeling more than a little disappointed that Uncle Max was kicking me out. I liked having breakfast with you, just the two of us, I liked living in the same house as you. I used to lie awake in my room, Oscar's room really, I guess, and on the times I would hear you go into the bathroom in the middle of the night I used to wish you'd cross the hall and come into my room. That you'd tell me you couldn't fight the way you felt anymore and then you'd strip off and get into bed with me and we would finally make love' he told her.

'You really thought that?' she asked him.

'Yes' he nodded 'I did. I fancied you and wanted you, it's as simple as that' he told her 'I remember how nervous I felt' he told her as he pulled his hands out of his pockets, walking over to the table and pulling out a chair, taking a seat. 'When I realised what we were both about to do….I mean, one minute we were kissing and ripping each other's clothes off and the next, we were naked and I was lying above you on the sofa. We broke the kiss and I looked down at you, wondering if you were going to realise what we were about to do and change your mind, but you pulled me down into a kiss and then I was inside you' he told her, he smiled at her 'and it felt like nothing I'd ever felt before' he said trailing off. He stared past Lauren as he remembered 'I've no idea how I managed to actually to bring you to orgasm before I reached my own, because once I was inside you I thought I was going to come there and then' he said. Lauren walked over to him, touching his shoulder. He looked up at her, pulling her onto his lap. She curled her arms around his neck. 'The way I felt being with you… it threw me, I'd never felt like that before. And that's why it was special' he said to her 'made you special…I mean I already knew you were special….. And I knew you felt it too' he said to her 'Afterwards when we were getting dressed….I knew you regretted it and I didn't like the way it made me feel, and then when you called me a scumbag later…'

'You know I didn't mean that' she said

'I know' he said 'but at the time I didn't. I thought you hated me for what I did, what we did'

'I didn't' she said, shaking her head 'I was just confused Joey, that's all' she looked at him and stroked his cheek with her hand 'I love you so much' she told him softly.

Joey swallowed, moving forward and kissing her gently 'me too' he replied 'So much more than you'll ever know' he murmured softly.

She moved forward and kissed him again. 'We should finish off watching the films so you know who kills Cedric' she grinned as she got off his lap.

'What? Cedric gets killed!?' Joey exclaimed as he followed a giggling Lauren back to the lounge.

**AN: So Joey does remember the first time he and Lauren had sex. In every single tiny minute detail, how romantic is that? And Lauren's still telling him what's happening in the films before they are about to happen! I hope you are all enjoying Revelry. Let me know what you think by sending me a review. R&R as always **


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven.**

Joey treated Lauren to a takeaway later that night, despite the fact she kept ruining parts of the movies for him. If he was honest he didn't mind because it was nice to see playful Lauren back. She'd laughed as she told him spoilers just as they were about to happen on the screen. He was happy to see the old Lauren back, even if it was just for a little while.

They had just finished their meal and Joey looked at Lauren 'Seriously babe, where do you put it all?' he asked her 'you've stuffed your face practically all day and you're as thin as a rake

She frowned and then shrugged 'I don't know' she told him grinning. 'I had a really good time today'

'Me too' he told her.

'I could keep you company at the club tonight, if you want' she suggested.

'Oh' Joey frowned and Lauren's face fell slightly 'you know that would be really nice, Lauren but…'

'It's okay Joey' she said shaking her head 'I get it' she told him. She sat forward and gathered up the takeout boxes and carried them through into the kitchen. Joey sighed, getting up and following her.

'You could let me finish my sentence before you leave the room' he said watching her scrape the left overs into plastic containers on the worktop 'I was going to say, yes it would be nice for you to keep me company at the club tonight and you can still go if you want to, but I won't be there. I swapped my night off for tonight. I thought that as we were spending the day together we could make it last a bit longer' he explained.

Lauren looked at him 'Oh' she said sheepishly 'that would be nice'

'I thought so' he said to her 'I was thinking maybe we could go to the Vic. Spend a little time with our friends?'

Yeah?' she asked him.

'Yeah' he nodded 'I know Fats and Poppy are going to be there, maybe Tyler' he said and he looked at her 'is that okay?'

She smiled at him 'yes' she nodded her head.

'Good so why don't you go and get ready and I will do the same?' he asked her.

'Okay' she walked over to him and gave him a quick kiss.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour later they walked into the pub, Joey glanced at her 'You okay babe?'

'I'm fine. Why don't you join the others and I'll get the drinks?' she asked him as she spotted Lucy and Whitney with the group, Joey hesitated for a split second too long, before he nodded, walking over to their friends and sitting down.

Lauren took a breath and walked to the bar. The pub was busy tonight and Lauren waited her turn patiently, glad it was busy because it meant she didn't have to join the others yet.

Roxy eventually came over to her, 'Lauren, what can I get you?' she asked her.

'Pint and a cranberry juice please' she told her.

'Coming up' she said with a smile.

She served her the drinks 'I hear you're working for Michael in the gym'

'Yeah, part time' Lauren nodded as Janine came in to the Vic and stood a few feet away from Lauren.

'And how's that working out for you?' Roxy asked her, Lauren frowned as she handed over her money to Roxy.

'I'm not sure…I'm thinking about quitting' Lauren told her.

'Well I have a job for you if you want it' Janine said butting into the conversation.

'Nannying really isn't my thing' Lauren told her.

'I didn't mean..that's Alice's job, there's an office job if you are interested' she said looking at Lauren.

'That's really nice of you Janine but …'

'Does this have something to do with Lucy?' she asked her looking over Lauren's shoulder 'because I can fire her' she told Lauren matter of factly.

'Thanks, but no thanks' Lauren said and she picked up the drinks, turning towards the table, she walked over to them with Janine watching her with interest. She put the beer down in front of Joey spilling some on her fingers as she did so, automatically and without thinking she popped her fingers into her mouth and sucked off the beer and then wiped her fingers on her jeans. Six faces stared her wide eyed as she sat down; she frowned. 'What?' she asked them confused.

'You just spilt Joey's beer' Lucy said accusingly.

'Yeah so?' she frowned at the tone of her voice.

'And then you licked your fingers' she told her 'the beer'

Lauren swallowed and nodded, picking up her cranberry juice turning to briefly look at Joey as she took a sip of her drink, she thought she saw shock and disappointment on his face, mirroring those of her so called friends, she felt her face flush and put down her drink and got up, walking out of the pub. Janine frowned wondering what had happened and followed her. She found her in the alley way behind the pub in tears

'Lauren?' she said softly, Lauren looked up at her and Janine could see tears on her face 'what happened?' she asked her/

'It's nothing' she said and shook her head. She made her way out of the alley and went to Phil's. She rang the doorbell and Phil opened it.

'Lauren?' he said in surprise, he saw she was upset and he let her in. She sat down on the sofa and burst into tears.

**AN: So after having a great day with Joey, her friends ruin it for her. She only licked a little bit of beer off her fingers. It isn't not like she downed the whole pint in front of everyone. Do you think Lucy over reacted? Do you think Lauren did? What is Joey thinking? What are you thinking? Let me know by sending me a review. R&R as always**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight.**

Phil looked at her and he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, handing it to her.

'So let me get this straight. You didn't actually drink anything?' he asked her.

'No' she shook her head 'but the way everyone reacted, the way they looked at me. They way Joey looked at me, the disappointment on his face…' she trailed off.

'Lauren….'

'He'd be even more disappointed with me if he knew….'

'Knew what?' he asked her.

Lauren sighed 'That I drank… a few nights ago' she told him 'Three miniature bottles of scotch' she told him.

'Where did you get them from?'

'Newsagent outside of Walford' she told him.

'Did you drink them all?'

'Yes' she nodded her head.

'Have you been to a meeting?'

'No' she shook her head 'I skipped the counsellor too' she looked up at him.

'I thought we agreed you would call me when you had the urge to drink' he told her.

'I know I did, I just… it was late and I didn't mean to drink them' she told him.

'We never mean to drink anything' he said 'Do we, hey?' He paused thinking through what she'd told him. 'Did you tell Joey?'

'No' she shook her head. 'I didn't want him to be disappointed in me, for things to go back to the way they were…. We're in a good place now'

'What about the counsellor, you could've gone to talk to her?'

'No' she shook her head again 'I don't really like her. She seems to be judgemental' Lauren explained to him

'So get another counsellor' he said 'where's Joey now?'

'In the pub' she told him 'he just sat there and said nothing, watched me leave' she told him and a fresh bout of tears came.

'Have you drunk since?' he asked her.

'No' she shook her head 'I felt disappointed in myself, I let myself down and I was in a bad place'

'Why? What happened?'

'Things weren't going well with me and Joey' she told him 'He went to visit his mum, he didn't want me to go with him, he said we needed to talk when he got back and I thought he was going to ask me to move out…I thought he was seeing someone else'

'But things between you and Joey are okay now?' Phil asked her as he sat down beside her.

'Yes… well, they were' she frowned 'Now….I don't know'

'Stay here' he told her standing up.

'Where are you going? Are you going to tell him?'

'No I'm not going to tell him, that's something you need to do' he told her 'but I'm going to find him' he said 'Wipe your eyes, blow your nose and I'll be back in a bit' she heard the front door shut as he left. Phil looked in the pub first but Joey wasn't there, he went to number 23 and rang the bell and Joey answered the door. Phil saw the worried look on his face. 'She's at mine' he told him, he turned and started walking. Joey pulled the door closed and followed Phil 'She's pretty upset with everyone's reactions' he warned him, 'especially yours'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey saw her sitting on the sofa, 'Oh babe' he whispered softly, sitting down beside her, putting his arm around her 'it's okay, you didn't do anything' he reassured her 'Lucy should have kept her mouth shut, it's not as though you necked the whole pint in front of them, you spilled some on your fingers, and everyone would have done the same as you if they were in your position. It's not as though you drank it, is it, hey?' he asked her softly 'don't cry babe, don't be so hard on yourself' Joey being nice to her made her cry harder. He pressed his lips to her hair and looked at Phil questioningly, Lauren looked up at Joey he saw her movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his attention to her 'I'm not upset with you' he told her and reached out and wiped her tears away gently with his fingers, 'I think you're doing brilliantly' he told her honestly.

'I'm not though' she said shaking her head.

'What do you mean? Of course you are' he said in surprise.

'No, I'm not' she said to him.

'Yes you do, you have over 90 days sobriety. That's an accomplishment you should be proud of'

'No I don't' she whisperered, shaking her head 'I only have 8 days'

'What do you mean? I don't understand' Joey frowned at her, his gaze switching between Phil and Lauren.

'I drank some scotch. So no Joey, I'm not doing brilliantly' she told him. She got up and walked towards the doorway, Phil was blocking it though and wouldn't move out of her way.

'Lauren you need to talk to Joey about this' he told her softly, seeing the panic and the urge to run away on her face.

'I can't' she murmured, shaking her head.

'Yes, you can' he told her firmly.

'Why didn't you tell me?' Joey asked her softly.

'Because…'

'Because what?' he pushed her.

'I didn't want you to be disappointed in me, to be judgemental'

Joey took a deep breath and sighed 'What? Am I not allowed to be disappointed you drank?' he asked her.

'No!' she spun round to look at him angrily. He nodded his head.

'Okay then, I won't be' he told her. Lauren stared at him, frowning at him, 'can I be disappointed and hurt you didn't feel as though you could come to me, talk to me?' he asked her 'I thought we were okay?' he said to her.

'It was before we were okay' Lauren said to him 'When I thought that ….' She trailed off.

'Oh I see' he nodded his head in understanding 'When you were thinking I was going to ask you to move out' he licked his lips Have you drunk since then?'

'No, of course not' she said a little softer.

'Why not?' he asked her.

'Because I don't want to' she replied. She frowned when she saw a smile forming on Joey's face.

'Say that again' he said.

'Because I don't want to' she repeated, somewhat confused.

'That's a good thing then, right?' he said and he looked at Phil 'Isn't that one half of the battle. Deciding you don't want to drink?'

Phil smiled, nodding his head 'Yeah it is' he said.

Joey crossed the room and he took Lauren's hand in his, pulling her towards him. 'That just makes me even more proud of you, babe' he told her with a smile

'But I fell off the wagon' Lauren blinked confused 'aren't you angry with me?'

'No' he shook his head 'I'm not angry with you, Lauren, right now I don't think I've been prouder. You didn't go out and get drunk, did you, hey? You fell off the wagon when it went over a big bump. You had a drink, but then you picked yourself up and climbed back on' he said to her 'and that's a big step, babe' he told her 'you chose to stay sober, to not have another drink and to stop again' he pushed her hair behind her ear 'would you have been able to do that 3 months ago?' he asked her.

'No' she shook her head, sniffing slightly.

'It took me several attempts to stay on the wagon' Phil said to her 'Grant used to pick me up and try to force me back on it but we both know you have to do it on your own, Grant figured that out eventually too, figured out he just needed to be there to catch me when I fell'

Lauren turned to look at Phil 'I'm sorry, I didn't come to you' she said to him.

'It's what I'm here for Lauren, I know what you feel. I've been where you are, and it's hard, it's so damn hard at times but you have to keep fighting this urge you have. If I can do it you can do it' he said to her 'and you have me, mum and Joey supporting you every single step of the way' he told her 'but promise me next time you feel like drinking you call me, that's what I'm here for, and if you can't find me than you call Joey and one of us will come and be with you, okay?' he asked her.

'Okay, I promise' she said nodding her head.

'Come on, let me take you home' Joey said to her. She looked up at him and nodded.

'Okay' she replied softly.

Joey smiled, taking her hand 'Thanks Phil'

'Any time. And anytime you want to talk … well you know where I am' he told Joey.

'Thanks' Joey nodded and he led Lauren out of the house and to number 23.

Lauren swallowed nervously as Joey closed the door. He took her hand, silently leading her into the bedroom.

**AN: So is Joey really okay with what happened or was he just staying calm in front of Phil, being the supportive boyfriend? Now that the two of them are alone is he going to read her the riot act? R&R as always.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-Nine.**

Joey closed the door and she looked up at him anxiously 'why don't you get undressed and I'll go run you a bath?' he said.

'I don't need to have a bath' she told him, shaking her head.

'Will you humour me?' he asked her. Lauren frowned at him 'Please?' she nodded.

Joey left the room and went upstairs. He got everything ready and when he returned to the bedroom, Lauren was wearing his robe, staring out of the window.

'Its ready, babe' he told her. She turned and followed Joey up the stairs. He opened the door and they stepped inside. He closed the door and locked it.

Lauren looked around the room, Joey had lit some scented candles which filled the room with a soft fragrance of jasmine and rose. He'd put her favourite bubble bath in the water, which also filled the room with its fragrance. She turned to look at him and realised he was naked. He reached for the bow on her robe and undid it, slipping the robe off her shoulders.

'Turn around' he said, she did what he asked and felt him gather her hair up in a ponytail before curling it up on her head in a loose messy bun, securing it in place with a black scrunchy he'd been wearing on his wrist. 'Okay, get in before it gets cold' he told her. She climbed into the bath sitting down with a sigh as the warm water covered her skin. 'Scoot forward'

She moved forward a little, and Joey got in behind her, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against him. Lauren lay her head against his shoulder.

'We're okay, Lauren' he told her 'you know that, right?' she shrugged in response. 'Well we are. Just to make that clear, you stumbled, but you got back up again' he told her 'I know this isn't easy for you, and that some days are going to be harder than others. But you heard what Phil said, you call him or you call me and one of us will be there for you' he said softly 'I meant what I said Lauren, I'm going to be here for you the way I should've been before. I'm not going to break up with you because you had a drink. I'm not upset with you because you had a drink. I'm not upset with you full stop'

'Why?' she asked him.

'Because I think you're upset with yourself, enough for the both of us' he told her 'Look you can't bottle things up, you have to talk about them, or you're just going to keep getting to the point where you have to have a drink to make yourself feel better and then you're going to be on the same path that you were before' he said softly 'and I know you don't want that'

'I don't' she shook her head.

'So next time you feel like you need a drink you tell me okay?' he asked her.

'Okay' she nodded her head.

'Promise me'

'I promise, I will tell you' she said softly.

'So do you want to tell me what happened?' he asked her 'Why you drank?'

'It was when I went out with Lucy and Whitney' she told him 'I lied and said it was with people I met through AA because I didn't want you to worry. We went to the cinema and things were okay, I mean I felt a little awkward, like there was an elephant in the room, but it was okay. Afterwards we were going to go for a meal and Lucy said she'd had a bad day at work and all she wanted to do was to get totally drunk and Whitney said she thought that was a good idea as she'd had a day from hell with the kids and just wanted to forget about her problems and deal with them later. It felt like they were making fun of me.' Lauren told him 'You know Lauren the drunk, that's all she was good for' she frowned 'That's what they think of me. And it hurt…it hurt a lot, I mean they're supposed to be my best friends and what kind of people treat their best friends like that?' she asked him.

Joey sighed, and he closed his eyes as he realised how insensitive the two girls had been, and knowing both of them they didn't even realise what they'd done. Well Lucy possibly, she was a bit of a manipulative bitch at the best of times, but Whitney, she wouldn't have done this deliberately, she was a little bit naïve and from what Lauren had told him she had a bit of a damaged past too.

'I'm sorry babe' he told her 'I know how excited you were to go out that night'

'I was just really stupid thinking they could be my friends again, not after everything that happened, not after everything I did and said'

'But that wasn't you, was it, hey? You were ill. You were crying out for help and everyone just ignored you, your friends; your family. Me' he said 'we all have a little of the blame to carry here'

Lauren turned her head to look at him 'I'm glad you're here Joey' she said softly 'I don't think I could do this without you'

Joey smiled at her 'I think you could, you're a Branning ain't ya?' he said 'Strong, feisty, brave'

'I don't feel any of those things right now'

'You may not feel them but you are those things' he said to her 'I see them, Phil sees them; Alice does. Kat does' he told her softly as he pressed a kiss to her nose. 'It happened okay? We can't dwell on it so we move on, we start again and we learn from our mistakes'

'I love you so much, Joey' Lauren told him softly.

Joey nodded his head 'I know. I love you too, babe' he replied softly and he drew her into a kiss.

**AN: Aw… Joey just wanted to do something nice for Lauren. How sweet was that? He really does love her, doesn't he? I'm feeling a little need of a pick me up today which will come in the way of your reviews...so if you want another chapter...I would like at LEAST 12 reviews... R&R as always. **


	40. Chapter 40

**AN: WOW you all really wanted another chapter! I will reply to reviews tomorrow! So here is your second chapter for tonight... Hope you like it! **

**Chapter Forty.**

After the bath, Joey wrapped Lauren in a towel and then his robe before wrapping a towel around his waist. He blew out the candles, picking her up with a grin and carrying her down the stairs into the bedroom.

'Do you feel better?' he asked her.

'Yes thank you' she nodded her head and she sat down on the bed. 'I think I need to cut back the hours at the gym'

'I think you should quit' Joey told her 'I don't like the way he treats you, like you're a piece of property'

'But the money is handy'

'I can give you money' he told her already knowing he wasn't going to win this conversation.

'Joey we talked about this. I don't want you to waste your money on me. I want to earn my own money. I want to be independent' she said looking up at him as she stood up, undid the robe and hung it on the back of the door.

'Okay' he said 'but the offer is there, anytime'

She dried herself and grabbed his discarded t-shirt from the chair, pulled it on and got into bed. Joey looked at her and sighed. He pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and climbed in beside her; pulling her close to him, he pressed a soft kiss to her neck.

'Sweet dreams babe' he said softly.

'You too' she whispered back as he stretched over her to turn off the lamp off.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren lay awake long after Joey had fallen asleep. After three hours of trying to get to sleep, she got up and went into the kitchen. She pulled a mousse out of the fridge, a spoon from the drawer, returning to the bedroom. She sat up in bed and started to eat. Her mind wandered back to the night not so long back that they'd had sexy fun time with mousse. She smiled to herself as she savoured the taste of the chocolate mousse.

**FLASHBACK**

Lauren had smeared the mousse over Joey's hard member and then proceeded to lick and suck it off.

'Fuck Lauren! Harder' he mumbled as his eyes rolled back into his head. His hands moved from the sheets to tangle in her hair, he felt himself growing closer and closer and then suddenly he was out of Lauren's mouth, he opened his eyes in surprise and he watched her stroking him hard and fast and he cried out her name loudly as he came, covering his stomach and her wrist with his sticky hot seed.

Lauren smiled and she licked her wrist clean and then licked the remnants of his come off the head of his cock before licking his stomach clean. Joey felt himself getting aroused again just watching her. She trailed kisses up his torso, pausing to lick and kiss his nipples before she kissed his chin and then his mouth. Joey groaned as he tasted himself, mixed in with chocolate mousse. He rolled her on to her back, holding himself over her with his arms.

'My turn?' he asked her his eyes glinting.

Lauren grinned and nodded. 'Yes please'

Joey kissed her again, sweeping his tongue into her mouth, brushing his tongue against hers, he pressed his growing erection against her thigh. Joey rolled away from her and grabbed the second pot of mousse from the bedside table and pulled off the lid, some of the mousse had stuck to the lid, he collected it with his finger and grinned at Lauren, he covered her right areola and nipple with it. She gasped at the coldness. 'See, I told you it was cold' he told her with a grin as he dipped his fingers into the mousse again and covered her left areola and nipple, much like he had the right. He left a trail down her torso, little blobs of mousse, circled her belly button with it and then he put the remaining mousse back on the bedside table, she frowned at him questioningly.

'I'm saving that for later' he told her, he put his fingers to her lips and she opened them and sucked his fingers hard, running her tongue over them, in much the same way that she had to his cock, which was twitching in response against her thigh. Once his fingers were clean, Joey bent his head and kissed her, his tongue tracing her lips before plunging inside. She trembled with anticipation for what was about to happen. Joey broke the kiss and smiled down at her 'are you ready baby?' he asked her.

'Yes' she nodded eagerly.

Joey gave her a chaste kiss and then trailed his lips to her neck, nipping and sucking the skin. He kissed her ear lobe and sucked it softly into his mouth, she moaned softly 'hold on tight babe' he whispered in her ear 'I'm going to make you come so hard, so many times, before I fuck you hard and fast' he promised her. Lauren groaned and trembled harder.

Joey took his time moving to her breasts. He sucked her neck and throat until she was begging him to move faster. Taking pity on his girlfriend, he moved his lips to her breast, avoiding her nipples completely. He kissed the fullness of her breasts and she watched as his tongue tasted the mousse near her nipple.

'Mmm, delicious' he moaned softly.

'Jooooeeeey' she whined as he deliberately avoided her nipple for what felt like the hundredth time.

'Patience, I'm working up my appetite' he teased her.

'Joey! Please. Please…. Too much teasing, please…' Joey silenced her with a kiss, his hand carefully ran along her left hand side, tracing down the side of her breast, over her rib cage, her waist. He wriggled his fingers slightly knowing she was ticklish. She squirmed and broke the kiss to giggle. His hand skimmed lower, he watched her face as his hand moved over her hip bones, to her thigh, down to her knee. His hand moved to the inside of her knee and then the inside of her thigh. Her breath hitched as his fingers brushed between her legs. Joey licked his lips as he pressed a finger against her, smiling as it sank inside her with ease.

'See how much you're turned on right now?' he asked her 'you're already so wet and I've barely touched you' he said as he gently thrust his finger in and out of her, his thumb pressed against her clit, rubbing it gently. She moaned softly as she felt her peak rising, another finger joined the first and Joey hooked his fingers inside her, looking for the spot that would give her ultimate pleasure. Lauren groaned loudly and he knew he'd found it. He inserted a third finger and she came apart around him. She could see stars in her vision. She cried out his name over and over as he worked her though her orgasm. Joey smiled to himself, pleased she was letting herself go, letting herself feel everything he was doing to her. It seemed she had forgotten that the rest of the house could hear her.

'One' he whispered against her lips. Whilst Lauren was pleased Joey had given her what she wanted, needed. She realised this meant he was going to start over with his teasing until she was trembling and writhing beside him again. This time when his tongue tasted the chocolate, he followed by closing his mouth over her nipple and sucking it hard, rolling it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, she felt another peak building. He bit her nipple gently with his teeth before releasing it from his mouth with a pop, he blew on it and watched it pucker and stiffen beneath his gaze.

'Yummy' he licked his lips and glanced up at her with a smirk. He moved to her neglected breast, paying it the same amount of attention and she groaned softly. Joey knew she was close again by the moaning and writhing that she was doing. His fingers circled the breast he wasn't currently sucking and he pinched and tugged her nipple hard at the same time as he bit down on the one in his mouth, as he knew she would. She exploded beneath him for the second time and he kissed her nipple softly.

'Two' he murmured as his eyes met hers. She smiled at him. Joey kissed a trail down her torso, pausing to lick the mousse trail he had left. His tongue circled her belly button before dipping inside, she wriggled beneath him with a giggle. Once he'd finished the mousse, he trailed his mouth back up her body pausing to tease her nipples a little before he found her mouth again, he kissed her hungrily and passionately for long moments, before moving over her, settling between her thighs, he began rocking against her gently, his hard length putting just the right amount of friction on her clit. Lauren felt the heat building between her legs, Joey had to restrain himself from slamming into her there and then, but he still hadn't finished with her yet. Lauren broke the kiss, gasping for air.

'OH MY GOD JOEY!' she whimpered beneath him as Joey effortless brought her to her third orgasm. Her entire body felt over sensitised and she wasn't sure how much more she could handle. 'JOEY!' she screamed his name loudly and then blushed as she realised everyone in the house would have heard her, possible in the two houses either side of them too. Joey laughed at her embarrassment.

'Three' he whispered against her ear and rolled away from her, grabbing the mousse and moving to the foot of the bed, 'Open your legs babe' he instructed her.

'Joey, I can't' she said breathlessly.

'Trust me' he said softly. Her eyes met his, she shivered at the lust she saw in them and nodded her head before parting her thighs, Joey scooped out some more mousse from the tub with his fingers and proceeded to cover her with it.

'Shit! That's still cold!' she exclaimed with a shriek.

'Yeah, isn't it?' Joey raised his eyebrows at her with a smirk.

He licked his fingers clean when he'd finished and kissed the inside of her knee. He took his time getting to the area she wanted him the most and licked along her length, he could taste her juices mixed in with the chocolate and he groaned in delight. Lauren closed her eyes as Joey licked her clean. He had to hold her hips down when Lauren started to jerk against him. His tongue plunged into her, his fingers moving to her clit and circling around it. She groaned loudly and her fingers fisted in his hair, holding him in place, her uncertainty that she could handle another orgasm melted away as she felt another one building. Joey doubled his efforts, hearing her panting and groaning, he pressed firmly on her clit and she came again, hard and loudly, holding her breath as the powerful, incredible and pleasurable sensations flowed through her.

Joey couldn't hold back any longer, he moved up her body and looked down at her, she was gasping for air as she looked into his eyes, having to close them again as she saw the desire on his face.

'That's four' he whispered, pressing a brief kiss to her lips. 'Look at me babe' he said huskily. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, waiting for Joey's face to come into focus. He hovered over her waiting patiently, then when she was really looking at him, he thrust inside her in one swift hard movement and then stopping all movement. Lauren gasped and Joey groaned.

'Fuck!' he rested his head on her shoulder as he concentrated on not coming. He thought about chocolate, which didn't help, then mud…which helped a little but reminded him of chocolate, then he thought about Alice. That worked better…and although he was a little grossed out by thinking about his sister when he was buried deep inside his cousin, but it had the desired effect. He kept still for a few moments longer, just to make sure he'd calmed down enough and then he started to move.

As he promised Lauren when he started, it was hard and fast and exactly what they both needed.

Joey couldn't believe how incredible she felt and how the noises she was making were effecting him so much, they'd had sex before, lots of times, but something about tonight was different, better, maybe it had something to do with the mousse, he didn't know, but he liked it and was pretty sure Lauren did too. She arched up against him, meeting his thrusts as enthusiastically as he was pushing into her. He felt his own release brimming and he groaned, re-doubling his efforts.

'FUCK! Lauren…. FUCK!' he groaned loudly.

Lauren gasped as she felt her fifth orgasm building, she knew this was going to be so much more than the four he'd already given her, she dug her nails into his back and he yelped in pain, but he didn't slow down his movements. She felt Joey pulse inside her and the feeling of his release set off hers. She clutched him tightly as she practically screamed his name at the top of her voice, as the most intense orgasm she'd ever had, hit her with full force.

Joey's head was buried in the crook of her neck as he gasped for air, he mumbled something she didn't hear and after a few moments he pushed himself up on to his hands, his arms were shaking as he gazed down and smiled at Lauren.

'I love you' he told her huskily, she beamed at him.

'I love you too' she drew him closer, for a soft tender kiss.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Lauren finished her mousse and put the pot on the bedside table, she glanced at Joey and pulled off her t-shirt, needing to feels Joey's skin against hers. She moved down in the bed and pressed herself up against his back, slipping her arms around him, resting her hands on his chest, she kissed his shoulder and closed her eyes.

**AN: Well there you have it… more fun with mousse. Hope you enjoyed it! R&R as always **


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One.**

Lauren woke the next morning to find Joey looking at her. She blinked and smiled.

'Did I miss something last night?' he asked her. She frowned, confused by his question, 'you weren't naked when we went to bed'

'I just…..I wanted to feel your skin next to mine' she told him softly moving forward and kissing him tenderly.

'And you had mousse' he said softly.

'I got hungry' she told him.

'Are you hungry now? I could make you breakfast?'

'Can you make me breakfast after our run?' she asked him.

'You want to run this morning?' he asked her and she nodded.

'Is that okay?'

'Of course it is' he nodded his head. Lauren smiled, reaching forward to kiss him again before she climbed out of bed, Joey watched her as she put her running gear on and then he climbed out of bed. They both used the bathroom and then headed out. They ran to the park and round the lake five times before they headed back to the house.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey made coffee, some eggs and toast and they sat down at the kitchen table.

'So what are you going to do today?' he asked her.

'Well I need to go and see my counsellor' she told him 'probably an AA meeting too' she told him

'Do you want me to come with you?' he asked her.

Lauren looked up at him in surprise and took a breath 'I do, but I also know I need to do this on my own' she told him.

'How about I wait in the waiting room for you?' he asked her.

'Okay' she nodded her head 'thank you' she said with a smile.

'And how about tonight we take a little trip to the Four Feather? See Peggy?'

Lauren beamed at him 'I'd really like that' she nodded her head. Joey grinned at her

'Good. It's a date'

Once they'd finished breakfast they each took a quick shower and were sitting in the lounge when they heard everyone else moving around getting up for the day.

'I thought about what you said' Lauren told him 'Janine offered me a job, maybe I should go and talk to her about it'

'Will you be okay working with Lucy?' he asked her.

'I don't know' she shrugged. 'It won't hurt to see what Janine has to say though will it?'

'No' he shook his head. 'Alice is babysitting today so I can walk both my girls over to Janine's on my way to the club. Then I am having lunch with you' he told her 'So meet me in the club at 1:00pm, then we can go straight to the counsellor'

'Are you sure you have time?' she asked him.

'I have all the time in the world for you' Joey said, tipping her chin with his fingers and giving her a kiss.

Later, Joey walked Alice and Lauren to Janine's. Janine opened the door for Alice and let her in.

'I will see you later, okay babe?' he asked Lauren. She nodded and he stole a kiss, squeezing her shoulders softly. 'Good luck' he whispered.

'Lauren. What do you want?' Janine said sharply as she shut the door and started to walk across the square.

'I wanted to apologise for yesterday, I was rude and I'm sorry' Lauren told her as she kept pace with her 'and I wanted to say thank you for coming after me'

Janine stopped walking and looked at Lauren 'apology not necessary' Janine said to her 'I was concerned and I did what anyone would've done'

'Thank you' Lauren said softly 'I was wondering about the job?' she asked her 'Like what it would entail, the hours, I have certain commitments that the times vary for which I can't miss' she told Janine.

'I understand' Janine said to her 'Can you come and see me at 2:00pm? We can have a chat?' she said as they walked through the market.

'I can't at two. One of the commitments I was talking about'

'Okay, what time is convenient for you? I'll work round it'

'I could come at 3:30?' Lauren suggested.

Janine looked at her watch 'Okay. Meet me in the Vic… the café at 3:30pm'

'I can meet you at the Vic' Lauren said to her.

'Of course you can' Janine nodded 'sorry that was insensitive of me' she told her 'I'll see you at 3:30pm' Janine said as they reached her office.

Lucy frowned as she saw the two of them talking together 'What was that about?' Lucy asked Janine as she put her bags on her desk.

'I'm sorry… since when do I pay you to ask me questions about my personal life' she asked her.

Lauren walked to the gym, walking down into the office 'Oh, you came in today?' Michael said to her.

'If you're going to start then I am going to quit' she told him.

Michael blinked at her 'You can't quit' he told her.

'No? Watch me' Lauren said as she turned to go.

'I'll tell Joey about these' he said and she heard a clink as he put something on his desk.

Lauren turned with a frown and saw the three scotch bottles on the table 'Tell him. He won't bat an eyelid' Lauren said to him 'because he already knows'

'Really?' Michael looked at her.

'Yes, I told him'

'So if I take these home, he won't say anything?' he asked her disbelievingly.

'Nope, nothing' she shook her head 'I don't need this job' she told Michael.

'I thought you wanted to be independent'

'Janine's offered me a job' she told him 'in fact I think I'll go over and see if she can see me now' she told him and walked out of the gym.

Michael fumed and he scooped one of the bottles off the table and threw it at the wall and it shattered against it.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren went to the café, after leaving the gym, ordering a coffee and sitting down with it. A few minutes later a doughnut was put in front of her. Looking up she saw Michael.

'An apology' he said.

'For trying to blackmail me?' she asked him 'I think that's going to take more than a doughnut' she told him, shaking her head.

'May I?' he asked her pulling out a chair, Lauren sipped her coffee as he sat down 'I'm sorry Lauren for acting so callously, for stooping so low, of course you would've told Joseph about your slip. I shouldn't have attempted to blackmail you with it. You're doing an amazing job at the gym and I would miss you if you weren't there' he told her 'Please don't quit, consider staying'

'I want a pay rise of £5 an hour and I go back to my part time hours. No more working 12 hour days' she told him.

'I suppose Monkey boy put you up to this'

'His name is Joey'

'You knew who I meant though' Michael smiled at her.

'You know what forget it' she said as she started to get up.

'All right fine, Joseph' he said and he looked at Lauren 'I will refer to him as Joseph' he told her 'So does that mean you'll come back to work?'

'I think I'll have the rest of the week off, paid holiday' she told him 'I'll be back on Monday morning at 9:00am' she told him and swiped the doughnut off the plate as she walked out.

Michael nodded and smiled.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Peggy looked up as the doors to the pub opened and smiled as she saw Joey and Lauren walk in hand in hand. They walked up to the bar and both beamed at Peggy.

'Well, it looks as though things between you two are going from strength to strength' she said. She glanced down the bar 'Kate, can you cover for me?' she called out

'Sure thing, Peggy' Kate called back.

'What can I get you two?' Peggy smiled at the youngsters.

'Two burgers with all the works and two cokes please…' Joey said.

'One coke, Joey will have a beer' Lauren corrected, looking pointedly at Joey.

'I'll have a beer please, Peggy' Joey smiled, rolling his eyes at his girlfriend. 'And whatever you're having. We'll find a table and then you'll come and join us' he told her.

'Be there in five minutes, darling' Peggy replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

In the cab on the way back, Lauren snuggled up to Joey. 'Tonight was just what I needed' Lauren told him 'Seeing Peggy again was so good. I've really missed her' she sounded surprised at her own admission.

'Well, she helped you when you were going through a rough time, and she's a pretty special woman, it's only natural you'd get attached to her' Joey told her 'I kind of missed her too' he admitted with a smile 'she reminds me of Aunt Sybil. She wasn't actually an Aunt, she was one of mum's friends, she used to call her Aunt Sybil so I guess the endearment stuck but she was just like Peggy' he smiled affectionately as he remembered her.

'I haven't heard you mention her before' Lauren said with a frown

'She died when I was 11. She had lung cancer, smoked like a chimney her whole life, even after she got the diagnosis' he told her 'She was in her 70's, I think' Lauren saw him turn his face to look out of the window and she knew he was upset about what they were talking about… which made her feel bad.

'I'm sorry, Joey' Lauren said softly 'I didn't mean to bring back bad memories'

'You didn't' he looked back at her and smiled, his emotions locked away once more. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, distracting her from her thoughts.

Lauren's nose wrinkled as she thought about something 'Joey?' she asked him

'Mmm?'

'Do you ever think about how things would be between us if we'd known each other as kids? If we grew up together, knowing we were cousins?' she asked him.

'No, not really' he said, shaking his head. 'Do you?' he asked her.

'Sometimes, yeah' she nodded 'I wonder if I might have turned out different if you were in my life when I was younger'

'What's the point in wondering about what could've been if you can never change the past? We'll never know, will we?' he asked her.

'Do you think we'd still have got together?'

'Yes, I do' he nodded his head. 'Attraction's attraction, babe, you don't have any control over who you fall in love with, it just happens' he said softly. Lauren smiled, satisfied with his answer.

**AN: Michael tried to blackmail Lauren with the miniature bottles of scotch he found. Is Lauren still going to work for him, is she going to tell Joey about Michael trying to blackmail her? And Joey and Lauren had a date night at the Four Feathers and saw Peggy again. And Joey opened up to her a little more about his past. Thank you for all your reviews so far… so glad that you appear to be enjoying Revelry… So as another treat if you would like to have another chapter tonight all you need to do is give me at least 12 reviews! Challenge set! **

**R&R as always **


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-two.**

Over the next few weeks things at the gym and with Michael seemed to be back on track, Lauren had returned to working part time hours and was seeing her counsellor again as well as going to regular AA meetings. She'd been having regular lunches with her dad and their relationship was going from strength to strength. Joey had even taken her back to the Four Feathers a couple of times to see Peggy and she hadn't felt the urge to drink for a long time. Even her hospital test results came back promising. The damage her drinking had done to her body was slowly reversing. That wasn't to say she was out of the woods, there was still a long way to go before all functions were back to normal levels, or as normal as they would ever be for Lauren.

Joey had been as relieved as Lauren when he heard the news. The night before her appointment after she'd gone to sleep, he was the one sitting up in the kitchen unable to sleep.

Lauren had gone to see Janine about the job she'd offered her, but it turned out to be nothing more than delivering leaflets through people's letterboxes, in order to promote her business. Lauren was grateful for the extra money though and the extra thinking time it gave her, and it didn't clash with the hours she was working at the gym.

Her relationship with Joey had gone from strength to strength. He was the only person she trusted implicitly.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren was sitting in the lounge with her college coursework, typing up her final essay that was due next week.

Joey had got home at 3:00am and Lauren didn't want to disturb him. He was working longer hours to subsidise Lauren's share of the rent, due to her working less hours, and whilst she felt guilty she did feel a little lighter from the pressures and stresses she was putting on herself.

There was a big fight coming up in the gym in the next couple of days and she was going to ask Michael if she could work. She knew Joey wasn't going to be happy with the idea so she had to figure out a way to broach the subject carefully without getting him angry.

She heard movement from the bedroom and a few minutes later she heard Joey go upstairs. Fifteen minutes later he came downstairs and went into the kitchen. When he came into the lounge she looked up at him, his hair was wet from the shower and he was wearing his blue robe. Lauren felt a warm tingle low in her belly. With Joey working long hours it'd been a while since they'd been alone together.

'Morning babe' he said as he put a coffee for her on the table. He picked up her papers and sat down and she turned her head so he could give her a quick kiss

'Morning' she smiled at him 'Did you sleep okay?'

He nodded 'Yep, out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow' he told her 'how are you getting on with your essay?'

'Almost done, only another 3000 words to do, which I will finish today' she said, turning her attention back to her laptop. She saved her work and closed her laptop, moving forward and placing it gently on the table. 'Which means I can afford to take a break' she said to him. She took his coffee cup away from him just as he was about to take a sip, placing it next to hers on the coffee table

'Hey! I wanted that' he said with a frown as Lauren moved to straddle him.

'More than you want this?' she asked him as she grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it up over her head, Joey blinked as his hands moved to rest on her thighs. Lauren was wearing a baby blue plunge bra that made Lauren's already appealing assets look even better. He rubbed her thighs gently.

'Is this new?' he asked her not recalling ever seeing her in it before.

'Mmhmm' her teeth worried her bottom lip, she nodded her head 'Do you like it?'

'Did it come with matching panties?' he asked her.

'It might have done, I may be wearing them. They might be very, very tiny' she said seductively.

Joey felt his groin reacting to her words, along with his imagination. 'Maybe I should take a look' he told her, his eyes fixed on her breasts.

'Maybe you should' she said to him, Joey moved forward and he kissed her exposed flesh, wrapping his arms around her waist picking her up and carrying her into the bedroom. He shut the bedroom door and carried her over to the bed and lay her down on it.

His lips travelled over her breasts and he pulled the material of her bra down so they were exposed to his gaze. His mouth clamped onto a nipple and began sucking it hard. Lauren groaned and she arched her back, pushing herself further into his mouth.

'Joey!' she gasped softly as he pushed his hand down the front of her jogging bottoms and started to rub her through her panties.

'You like that, babe?' he murmured lifting his head to look at her. She nodded her head and arched into his hand.

'So good, Joey!' she moaned softly. He removed his hand and pulled down her jogging bottoms.

'Wow! These are tiny!' he said to her as he looked at her barely there panties. 'Very sexy' he smiled at her 'But you know where I think they would look better?' he asked her

'I know this one, on your bedroom floor' Lauren said with a giggle

'You are so right' he told her as he slid his fingers under the waistband and drew them off her legs. He tossed them over his shoulder and they caught on the door handle.

'Nice shot' she said giggling.

'Thank you' he grinned at her as he stood up and undid his robe shrugging it off before he moved over her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later as they lay in the bed, Lauren drawing circles on his chest. 'Are you working tonight?' she asked him.

'Nope' he shook his head 'got to go in at 2.00pm for the delivery but once that's done I'm free' he said and he looked at her 'why? Do you want to do something?' he asked her hopefully.

'I thought maybe we could have a night in?' she asked him 'just you and me?'

'Mmm, I love the sound of that babe' he said 'but I kind of promised Fats and Poppy that we'd go for a meal with them at Scarlett's… they were at the club last night' he told her 'Poppy wouldn't take no for an answer' he added in his defence.

'Joey! We can't afford that' she said to him, pushing herself up to look at him. Her breasts caught his gaze and attention.

'Afford what?' he asked her temporarily distracted.

'Joey! Pay attention' she slapped his chest lightly and moved away from him, gathering up her clothes and starting to redress. Joey watched her with interest, those panties were really tiny and very sexy. She licked her lips as she turned to look at him, with a frown 'we can't afford to go out. You're working long hours to help pay for my shortfall on the rent. You can't throw your money away on a meal out when we have food here' she said to him. She walked to the bedroom door and opened it.

'Where are you going?' he asked her.

'I need to get back to my essay' she told him and closed the door behind her.

Joey frowned, he climbed out of bed, pulling on his robe and followed her 'Okay, I'm a little thrown by the sudden mood change' he told her as he sat down on the sofa next to her. 'Am I not allowed to take my girlfriend out for dinner?' he asked her softly. Lauren looked at him.

'You already do so much for me anyway' Lauren told him 'I don't need to be taken out to dinner'

'No, maybe you don't need to and you're right, we do have food here' he said 'but I want to take you out on a date' he told her 'is that such a crime?'

Lauren blinked at him 'No of course not' she said shaking her head. She hadn't thought about it like that.

'A meal at Scarlett's isn't going to break the bank, is it, hey?' he asked her.

'I feel like you're having to work extra hard to pay for me to live here' she said to him 'and it's not fair, I feel guilty' she told him.

'Don't be' he told her 'I want to take care of you, I want you to live here, with me, and if that means I have to work a little bit harder, then I will' he said 'without hesitation'

Lauren swallowed, this was a good time to tell Joey about the extra work she could pick up at the gym. 'I could help more' she said to him 'There's a fight night in the gym in a couple of days. I could see if Michael wants me to work' she said to him 'Bring a little bit more money in?' she looked at him anxiously.

Although Joey didn't usually like the idea of her working longer hours, spending more time with Michael, this time he wasn't so bothered, because he, Tyler and Fats were going to watch the boxing so he would be able to keep an eye on her.

'Okay' he said nodding his head.

'Yeah?' she sounded surprised at his answer.

'Yeah, me, Fats and Tyler are going to be there too watching the fight' he told her 'so I can keep my eye on Michael' he told her.

'Thank you' she smiled at him and moved forward to give him a soft kiss.

'Okay, back to your study, you and I'll go and make us a fresh cup of coffee' he said as he stood up grabbing their cups from earlier.

'Thanks babe' Lauren called after him.

**AN: Well Lauren told Joey about the fight night and he's okay with it, but only because he's going to be there watching the fight with their friends. And he's looking forward to taking his girl out to dinner. Nothing can go wrong though, right? It's Poppy and Fats…. Poppy won't have anything planned. R&R as always**


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

After Lauren had finished her essay she went to see Michael at the gym. He looked up at as she came in.

'You're not down to work today' he said, with a slight frown of confusion 'Aren't you supposed to be studying?'

'I have been, just finished my final essay' she told him 'I was wondering if the offer of working the night of the fight was still standing?' she asked him.

'Yes, of course it is' he said with a smile 'That makes me happy knowing I'll have someone here that knows the ropes, so to speak' he nodded his head 'Thank you, saves me having to hire a girl' he told her.

'Great thanks, well I'd better get back to the house, pack up my laptop and things before Tommy gets back from Alfie's' Michael watched her walk out with a smile on his face.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later Lauren and Joey walked hand in hand across the square towards Scarlett's. The couple were seen by Whitney and Tyler as they headed towards the restaurant too.

Ian smiled as he saw them both come in, he took Lauren and Joey's coats and directed them to a table where they waited for Poppy and Fats.

Ian brought over drinks for them and left the menu with them. Lauren looked at Joey and she smiled.

'Thank you' she said to him.

'For what?' he asked her.

'For taking me out on a date' she said to him.

'Well, we didn't really do the dating thing before, did we?' he asked her 'more of a sneaking round behind people's backs kind of thing' he told her 'and I want to show you and everyone else how serious I am about you' he said to her.

'You don't need to prove anything to me' she said, shaking her head.

'Yes, I do' he nodded 'I'm not ashamed of our relationship, I never was' he said 'and I know the way people reacted when they found out about us wasn't exactly encouraging, and we hit a bit of a rough patch. But I'm not going to hide away anymore. I love you and I don't care who knows it' he said 'or who sees it' he said as he moved forward and kissed her softly, just as Tyler and Whitney came in.

Lauren and Joey looked up in surprise as Whitney and Tyler were brought to their table. 'Uh. We're actually having dinner with Poppy and Fats' Lauren said frowning.

'We are too' Whitney said with a frown 'If we knew you would be here we wouldn't have agreed' Whitney said, not realising how that sounded.

Lauren looked at Joey and he shrugged his shoulders 'Fats said it was just the four of us' he told her quietly. He saw Fats and Poppy walk by the window 'Look, here they are' he said to her.

Lauren picked up her drink and took a sip. 'Oh good, you're all here' Poppy said clapping her hands as she reached the table.

'All?' Joey asked her 'Fats said it was just the four of us'

Fats looked at Poppy and then at Joey, giving him an apologetic shrug 'well it was and then I invited Whitney and Tyler. Thought the 6 of us could have dinner together, we're all friends, aren't we?' Poppy said, looking at Lauren and then Joey.

'And you didn't think to let us know?' Joey said to her.

'Well I … I didn't think it would be a problem' Poppy said with a frown.

'Well there is a problem' Joey turned his attention to Lauren 'do you want to go?' he asked her quietly, she nodded her head. Whitney frowned and looked at Tyler, wondering why Lauren was acting like this. Joey and Lauren stood up and walked towards Ian and he frowned.

'Everything okay?' he asked them both.

'Overbooking' Joey said, by means of explanation.

'Well I have a table for two in the corner if you want to stay' he said to them, Joey looked at Lauren.

'Babe?' he asked her.

'No offence Ian, but I've suddenly lost my appetite' she told him quietly.

'Some other time then' he said, as their coats were brought over to them.

Joey helped Lauren with her coat before pulling his own on. He took her hand and they walked out. 'I'm sorry' Joey said softly, putting his arm around her shoulders. 'If I'd known Poppy had invited Whitney I wouldn't have suggested we come' he said to her 'I'm sorry' he said again.

'It's not your fault' she said shaking her head. They walked a little distance and Joey stopped, taking both her hands in his.

'So what do you want to do now?' he asked her 'If you're not hungry we could go to the cinema?' he suggested.

'How about we get some chips?' she asked him.

'Yeah? You just want chips?'

She nodded 'Just chips and you' she told him.

'Cheap date' he replied, Lauren looked up at him and smiled.

'I don't need to be wined and dined at some fancy restaurant' she told him 'I'm not saying never….'

'Just special occasions then' he said, nodding his head 'got it' he smiled at her 'come here' he tilted her chin towards his, kissing her softly 'let's get these chips then, hey?'

They walked into the chip shop and saw Max there.

Hello' Max said and he looked at Lauren and Joey 'You having chips too?' he asked them.

'Yeah' Joey nodded.

'If you want, you can both come back to the house, eat with us?' he suggested.

'Actually, we're on a date' Joey said to him.

'Chips on a date?' he frowned looking at Lauren, thinking she deserved more than a chip supper.

'Ladies choice' Joey replied.

'Well you're lucky you weren't at ours for dinner tonight. Your Nan managed to burn spaghetti'

'How is that possible?' Lauren looked at him, with a slight frown.

'No clue' he said, shaking his head with a smile 'Well I'd better get these back to the others'

'Okay, see you later, dad' Lauren smiled at him.

'Yeah' he nodded and walked out of the chip shop.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

After they'd eaten the chips, they went to the Vic to have a drink. Kat and Alice were there and they smiled as the two of them came in.

'Hello you two' Kat said.

'Hey Kat' Lauren smiled at her, she tugged on Joey's hand and they went to sit with them at the bar.

'Alfie' Kat called out 'show Lauren and Joey the picture Tommy drew today'

Oh yeah, here it is' he said and he pulled a picture down from the bar and handed it to them.

Joey smiled as he saw how Tommy had drawn him, with big arms and big sideburns.

'That so looks like you' Lauren giggled at the picture, 'Is that Tommy with us?' she asked looking up at Alfie.

'Ah, you would think that' Alfie said 'but when I asked him he said that was a little girl called Charlotte, and she was yours and Joeys' Alfie grinned as he leant down on the bar. 'So is there anything you two want to tell us?'

Lauren flushed bright red as three pairs of eyes were fixed on her 'Nope. I'm not pregnant. Nor do I plan to be anytime soon, thank you very much' she said to them shaking her head 'And if I was pregnant I wouldn't confide in a 3 year old boy' she turned to look at Joey 'I'm not' she shook her head.

'All right then, but if we find out you are in a few month's time…' Alfie said 'Tommy has bagsy on the name' he grinned as he went to get them their drinks.

Lauren and Joey took their drinks to a table and Joey licked his lips 'Are you okay?' he asked her 'you went a pretty impressive shade of red over there' she went red again and looked down.

'Yeah, I'm fine' she nodded her head 'I promise, I'm not pregnant' she told him 'and if I thought I was, I'd tell you this time'

Joey frowned 'This time?' he asked her 'what do you mean this time? You thought you were pregnant before?' Lauren blinked at him, she'd forgotten she hadn't told Joey about that.

'Um…' she frowned.

**AN: Oopsie! Lauren's got some explaining to do! And what was Poppy thinking? Trying to meddle, inviting Tyler and Whitney for dinner too! So what is Lauren going to tell Joey? Any guesses? R&R as always **


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty-four.**

Lauren blinked as she realised the slip she'd made 'Lauren, I asked you a question' he said to her.

'I know, I heard' she said 'I thought I was pregnant once before'

'When?' he asked her 'Why didn't you tell me?' with a frown.

'I tried to tell you Joey but you wouldn't give me the time of day' she told him 'It was after you broke up with me and every time I saw you, you would either walk the other way or you were with Lucy. You wouldn't pick up the phone when I called you or reply to any of my texts' she told him with a frown. Joey looked at her remembering the times she was talking about.

'Were you still drinking?' he asked her.

'Yes' she nodded her head 'it was just another problem I had to deal with, on top of everything else' she said to him 'I got my period a few weeks later'

'How late were you?'

'8 weeks' she replied 'I spoke to the doctor about it at the hospital and they said it was just another symptom of my drinking, my body trying to tell me I was doing serious damage to it' she told him quietly. 'I wasn't eating properly…..'

'I'm sorry' Joey told her.

'It doesn't matter' she said with a shrug 'I understand Joey, I do. I know what a mess I was back then, I don't blame you for not wanting anything to do with me' she said softly 'I didn't want anything to do with me either, so….' She looked up at him 'It happened and it's in the past now. There's nothing either of us can do to change it so there is no point on dwelling on it' she told him softly. 'We have to look to the future, that's what my counsellor says anyway, after making me dredge up the past' she added, with a frown.

'Does your counsellor still want people who are important to you to come to sessions?'

'She constantly nags me about it' Lauren nodded.

'How about I come with you?' he asked her.

Lauren looked up at him, in surprise 'you don't have to do that, Joey' she said, shaking her head.

'No, but I want to' he told her 'I want to be there for you, Lauren, if you'll let me'

'Are you sure? You could hear things that might upset you?'

'I'm sure' he nodded his head 'I want to hear'

'Okay. I'll talk to her tomorrow' she told him softly.

Joey licked his lips 'So you don't think about having children?' he asked her, trying to sound casual.

'Right now all I'm thinking about is staying sober. I really don't need anything else on top of that to worry about' she replied.

'You'll tell me if you want to drink won't you?'

'Yes, I promised you and Phil, didn't I?' she said, looking at him.

'Yes, I know you did' he nodded his head 'You know I was thinking about going to see mum this weekend' he said 'I know she is dying to meet you'

'This weekend?' Lauren looked at him.

'Yes, do you have plans?' he asked her.

'Well, sort of, mum's coming up to London for a few days…'

'My mum can wait' he said softly 'We'll arrange it for another weekend'

'I do want to meet her, Joey, it's just that …'

'You miss your mum and little brother? They don't come up that often. Its fine really' he said to her 'I'll call mum and explain, she'll understand' he told her

'Thanks' she told him, with a smile as she leant her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, putting his arms around her. He groaned suddenly 'what's wrong?' she asked, pulling away to look up at him.

'I was just thinking about those little panties that you were wearing earlier' he told her.

Lauren grinned at him 'You want an early night? I can give you a little show of my new underwear?' she asked him.

'Drink up!' Joey said, grabbing his coke and drinking half of it down in one.

Lauren giggled at his eagerness.

**AN: So Lauren thought she was pregnant during the time Joey had broken up with her but it turned out to be a symptom of her alcohol abuse and not eating. I wonder what would've happened if she was pregnant, would she have turned her life around there and then, or would she have continued down the path she was on, putting her unborn child's life in danger too? ... so once again I am feeling generous and also excited about your reactions to the next chapter... so you know what I am going to say next. If you want to have another chapter TONIGHT then I want to have at least 12 reviews... you know what to do! R&R as always **


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-five.**

The night of the big fight came. Michael was hoping the fight would draw attention to the gym and more people would want to sign up. He had given Lauren the job of taking the money at the door for people who hadn't already brought tickets and signing up new club members. She was also to be on hand in case any of the boxers needed anything.

Lauren took the money into the office when the fight started, deciding she really didn't want to see two grown men knocking seven shades of shit out of each other. She sat down and counted up all the money she had taken, jotted down the totals and put the money in the safe, locking it again after. She was unaware that Michael had come into the room and was watching her.

'So how did we do?' he asked.

'£900' she said to him, 'It would have been more but I had to turn 12 people away because we would have breached fire regulations' she told him 'but I took their names and told them they would be added to the VIP list for the fight next month and given first refusal for tickets with a £10.00 discount if they joined the gym' she said to him '6 of the twelve signed up for a session next week' she told him with a grin.

'Well, you're most certainly more than just a pretty face, aren't you hey?' he asked her 'So how much is the food and drink costing me?'

'We're selling the food at a 60% mark up for what we would've paid Ian for it.' She told him 'so if everything goes tonight, we'll have made another £400. And the drinks well, we can't sell them for more than we paid for them or you'd have your license revoked, but Alfie had a few spare barrels of beer that he over ordered by mistake so he gave them to us at a knock down price so we should also make a profit on the beer' she told him 'You're looking shy of about £1800' she looked at him expectantly.

'What we would have paid Ian?' he asked her 'We got the food for free?'

'Ian wanted to watch the boxing, I said he could watch for free if he did the food for us for free' she told him 'I kind of told him we had run out of tickets….a little white lie'

Well done you' he said with a smile 'I may let you organise a few more of the events' he said to her. 'You just put the money we've taken in the safe'

'Already done. Better safe than sorry' she told him, nodding her head, she crossed the room towards the door and handed Michael the keys, she wasn't certain but she thought she felt his hand graze her bottom. She frowned and she turned to look at him.

'Sorry, tight squeeze in here' he said to her 'Are you taking more membership forms out with you?'

'Yep, Ian's also got some on a clipboard by the food' she nodded her head.

'Okay, well get back out on the floor' he told her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

The fight night had been a big success. After everyone had left Lauren was sitting at her desk in the office sorting out the membership forms; Michael walked in and saw her staring at one.

'Well, that's just disgusting' he said, snatching it up off the desk and screwing it up 'I'm sorry you had to see that' he told her as he tossed it in the bin.

'Its fine' she said 'I've seen worse… barely' she said with a frown 'You know. I think I'm going to go. if it's okay with you?' she asked him.

'Of course it is' he nodded his head.

He walked to the safe and took some money out. He turned to Lauren and held it out to her. 'Here take this'

She looked at him and took the money seeing he'd given her £400. 'It's too much' she said, shaking her head.

'You earned it' he told her as he walked over to her. He lifted her chin with his fingers and smiled at her 'You worked really hard tonight as well as planning the event too. It's appreciated and hard work is rewarded' he told her 'call it a bonus'

'Thank you' she said with a smile 'I don't know what to say' she told him.

'The look on your face says it all' he told her smiling back at her. 'Go on get off with you'

Lauren grinned at him and taking them both by surprise she hugged him 'Thank you, Michael. Thank you so much' Michael smiled and returned the hug, holding on for a little longer than he should have. Lauren pulled away feeling uncomfortable.

'I can't wait to show Joey!' she grinned, grabbing her coat and bag. She practically skipped out of the gym.

Michael smiled to himself.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren let herself into the house to find Tyler and Fats had come back with Joey and they were all sitting in the lounge, dissecting the fight.

'Your back early, babe. I wasn't expecting you back yet' Joey said putting his beer down on the table and standing up.

'I can finish off tomorrow' she looked at Tyler and Fats and saw they both had beer too.

'Hey, look, we can go' Tyler said starting to stand up.

'It's fine. I'm pretty tired, I'm just going to go to bed' she said and looked at Joey 'night guys' she said, Joey frowned and followed her. She sat down on the bed and looked at the money as Joey came into the room.

'Wow, where did you get that from?' he asked her. She looked up at him as a smile spread across her face.

'Michael. For all the hard work I did' she said to him, holding it out to him. 'It'll help towards next month's rent and food'

'Babe, no' he shook his head 'you earned that. You keep it, treat yourself to something' he told her softly 'I can kick the boys out if you want some company' he said.

'No, Joey don't' she told him shaking her head 'Have fun with your friends, drink beer and laugh….just promise me you'll clear everything away before you come to bed'

'I will' he told her with a smile 'we won't be long or too noisy' he said, kissing her on the cheek gently 'night babe' he told her.

Lauren smiled at him 'night' she replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later, after Joey had come to bed, she could smell the alcohol on his breath, plus his snoring was keeping her awake. She got up and walked through to the kitchen, making herself a hot chocolate.

'Kathleen has some of those little marshmallows hidden away somewhere for Tommy' Michael said as he came into the kitchen. 'They should be somewhere here' he said as he reached over her into a cupboard, rummaging until he found them 'Ah, here they are' he handed them to her.

She took the bag and took a few out, sprinkling them on top of her hot chocolate. 'Thank you'

'So you can't sleep tonight?' he asked her.

'No' she shook her head 'Joey's snoring. Which he always does when he's been drinking' she said to him.

'Joseph's drunk?' Michael asked her as he sat down next to her at the table. 'Bit insensitive isn't it under the circumstances?'

'No, he's not drunk. And I'm the one who has a problem with alcohol, it shouldn't mean everyone else around me has to stop drinking too' she said to him.

'Something tells me it's not just Joseph's snoring that is keeping you awake?' he asked her.

'I'm seeing my counsellor tomorrow' she said to him.

'You've been seeing your counsellor 3 times a week since you got back here and now you're suddenly worried about it?' he asked with a frown.

'Joey's coming' she said 'he's going to be in the session with me' Lauren told him 'I'm just a bit worried about what my counsellor is going to want to talk about' she told him. 'She likes dredging up the past'

Michael nodded with a sigh 'Well I'm sure there isn't anything to worry about' he told her 'and worrying about it isn't going to help change the outcome either' he said 'Just be honest in the session and if Joey hears something that makes him feel uncomfortable then you can talk it through in the session with the counsellor' he told her 'I'm sure everything will be fine' he told her

Lauren looked at him and smiled nodding her head 'I know you're probably right, thank you' she said. She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a soft squeeze.

'You're welcome, Lauren' he said, glancing down at her hand over his.

Before Lauren knew what was happening, Michael had leant over to her and pressed his lips against hers, his hand moved into her hair, cupping the back of her head as he tried to deepen the kiss. She felt his tongue pushing against the seam of her lips and she placed both her hands on his chest and pushed him away from her.

Lauren frowned, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, stunned at what Michael had just done. 'What are you doing!?' she exclaimed shocked.

Michael blinked at her 'I'm sorry, I … I …misread the signs….'

'What signs?' Lauren frowned at him 'I'm pretty sure I wasn't giving off any signs, Michael!' she hissed at him.

'I…I'm sorry' Michael said to her 'I thought… I thought….oh my god, I'm so sorry' he told her. He got up and fled the kitchen, leaving a shocked Lauren behind.

**AN: So the fight night was a success and Michael was very pleased with Lauren's hard work. She thought Michael accidentally groped her…the office is cramped. But then in the kitchen he kissed her. Was Lauren giving off signals? What happens now? How is Joey going to react when Lauren tells him… will she tell him? Okay so this is the last of tonight's chapters... there are no more to come and from now on you will only be getting ONE per night! If you like Revelry I GUARANTEE that you will LOVE Sins Of the father written by 74Crazychick...my twitter bestie...SO GO AND READ AND REVIEW IT NOW oh but first Review my new chapter! **


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-Six.**

Lauren couldn't sleep after she went back to bed. The events leading up to before and after Michael kissing her, were still whirring through her mind. She got up and dressed in her running gear, noticing the clock on the bedside table read 5:00am. Leaving the house quietly she headed towards the park. She did a few circuits of the lake and then some tai-chi she'd learnt at rehab, trying to shut out the thoughts flying through her head. She ran more laps of the lake before sitting down on the bench and watching the sun rise. As people began to come into the park, taking their dogs for the early morning walk Lauren took a deep breath and got to her feet, walking slowly back towards the square.

Lauren sat down in the gardens and she thought about things some more. Had she given Michael some kind of signal that she wanted him to kiss her? She was certain she hadn't, but the more she thought about it, the less sure she was. And if she had been giving him signals, what did that mean for her and Joey? Lauren had no idea how long she'd been sitting there, thinking about things but she heard her dad yell at Abi about being late for school as he left the house and she figured it was about 8:00am.

She glanced around and saw a lot of people milling around. She stood up and made her way back to number 23, realising she didn't have her keys with her. She rang the bell, but there was no answer. She rang again and then knocked on the door but she couldn't rouse any reply.

Lauren sighed and went to Janine's, to get Alice's keys, but no one answered the door either. She frowned, wondering if Alice was at Janine's office, but when she got there, the only person there was Danny.

'Lauren' Danny said 'what can I do for you?' he asked her.

'I was looking for Alice, and wondered if Janine knew where she was'

'Sorry, Janine's not here' he said to her 'are you okay' he frowned.

'I've locked myself out of the house and I can't wake Joey up to get him to let me in' she said to him, with a sigh 'I've got to be at the counsellors in an hour and he's supposed to be coming with me and I need to get ready and leave and ….' she took a breath as she felt her emotions springing to the surface.

'Come on, let's see what I can do' he told her as Lucy came into the office with coffee. 'Lucy, you're on your own for a few minutes. I have a damsel in distress to help'

Danny led her across the street and he hammered on the front door. He looked at Lauren 'Are you sure Joey's in there?' he asked her.

'Yes. No. Maybe' Lauren said and looked at him 'he should be' she told him with a sigh.

'Let's go round the back' Danny said to her. She led him round to the back door and he tried the door but found it was locked.

'Have you tried Kat?'

'Kat's gone to the suppliers to get more stock for the stall' she told him.

'What about Michael?' he asked her 'I saw him walk past the office on the way to the gym' he told her.

'No, I don't want to ask Michael' she said to him, shaking her head. She turned and looked around, seeing a brick and picking it up. She looked at the window and handed the brick to Danny.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' he asked her.

'What other choice is there?' Lauren asked him 'I need to get inside' he nodded. He banged the brick against the pane of glass in the back door gently, nothing happened. He tried another three times to no avail. Lauren rolled her eyes. 'Give me that!' she snapped, snatching the rock from him and she threw it through the glass.

The noise woke Joey up with a start. He threw back the covers and leapt out of bed running through to the kitchen. He found Lauren and Danny standing in the kitchen

'What the hell?' he exclaimed.

Lauren looked down at the glass on the floor. She stepped over it and walked through the house and up into bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

'She's a little upset' Danny said 'I don't know why' he looked at Joey. 'Let me give you a hand cleaning this up' he told him 'Go and see if Lauren's okay'

'Are you sure?'

'Yeah' Danny nodded 'I have a mate who can fix the glass I'll give him a call'

Joey went upstairs to the bathroom and tried the door. It opened and he found Lauren sitting on the edge of the bath, her hands covering her face.

'Babe….what's wrong? Have you been out running, forgot your keys again?' he asked her, dropping to his knees in front of her, resting his hands on her thighs.

She nodded her head 'I'm sorry' she told him 'I tried to wake you'

'It's okay, we can fix the window' he told her 'Come here' he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. 'Don't cry babe, it's just a broken window'

'I'm not crying about the window Joey' she said to him, taking a deep breath 'I have to get ready for counselling'

'Do you still want me to come with you?' he asked her and she nodded.

'If you still want to' she told him as she sniffed.

'We'd better have a shower then, hey?' he handed her some toilet roll, she blew her nose.

'Thank you'

'You get started and I'll go and check how Danny's getting on, then I'll come up and join you' he told her

'Okay' she said softly. Joey cupped her face in his hand and gave her a deep kiss. She got up and started the shower going, stripping off her clothes as Joey went downstairs.

Joey went back downstairs and spoke briefly to Danny before giving him the back door key when his mate came to fix the glass and then headed back up to the bathroom. He stripped off and got into the shower behind Lauren, putting his hands on her shoulders, she turned round, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly, sobbing against his chest.

'Hey, Lauren, what is it?' he asked her 'whatever it is, it can't be as bad as all this' he told her, rocking her gently under the water.

'It's nothing, I'm just feeling a little emotional today, is all' she lied to him.

'Are you sure?' he asked her and she raised her head to look at him.

'I'm sure' she told him 'I'm sorry'

'Don't be sorry' he shook his head 'Let me wash your hair, hey?' he asked her.

Lauren nodded and turned around as he reached for the shampoo.

**AN: So Lauren didn't tell Joey what she was so upset about. Good old Danny coming to the aid of a damsel in distress, but not having enough gusto to break the window, Lauren's reaction made me giggle. So Lauren and Joey are going to see her counsellor next. I wonder if she can get Lauren to open up to her about what happened. R&R as always **


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-seven.**

Lauren anxiously waited with Joey outside her counsellor's office. Joey put his hand on her knee to stop it from bouncing. 'Babe relax' he told her 'If you don't want me to come in, I won't. If you need more time to prepare'

'The longer I put it off, the harder it'll be' she told him 'I want you to come in' she said.

'Are you sure?' he asked her softly. She nodded her head as the door opened.

'Lauren, I'm ready for you' her counsellor said from the doorway. Lauren stood up with a sigh and she took Joey's hand, leading him into the room, pausing to close the door behind them 'Hello. You must be Joey. I'm Claire Stevens' she held out her hand. Joey shook it.

'Pleased to meet you' he said as he took a seat next to Lauren on the couch.

'So has Lauren told you what happens in these sessions?' she asked him.

'A little yeah' Joey nodded.

Claire noticed Joey was holding Lauren's hand tightly, their fingers interlinked together. 'Good' she smiled, nodding her head 'So Lauren, how have things been this week?' she asked her.

'Okay' Lauren said with a shrug, not meeting her counsellor's gaze.

'Just okay?' Claire asked her 'Nothing interesting happen?'

'No, not really' she shook her head.

'Nothing good, nothing bad?' Claire pressed.

Lauren blinked and looked down at her hand. 'Nope' she popped the P.

Claire looked at her, with a slight frown on her face, knowing Lauren well enough to know when she was hiding something from her.

'Okay Joey, tell me how things are going between you and Lauren?' she asked him.

'Good, really good' Joey nodded enthusiastically.

'Lauren, would you agree?' she asked. There was no answer, 'Lauren?' she repeated. Joey nudged her with his elbow.

'Ouch! What?' Lauren glared at Joey angrily she pulled her hand out of his.

'I asked you if you'd agree with Joey's answer to how your relationship is going' Claire asked her

'It's okay' she said softly with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Claire frowned again at the answer Lauren gave her, all the other times she'd asked Lauren how her relationship with Joey was, she would answer in the same way Joey had. In fact all she would talk about was her relationship with Joey, even when Claire was trying to get her to open up about her family, the conversation would somehow always return to Joey.

'Is everything okay Lauren, you look as though you have something on your mind' Claire said.

'Just tired' Lauren said 'I didn't sleep very well, that's all'

'I thought you were sleeping better now?' Claire raised her eyebrows, Lauren had confided in her that she found it difficult to sleep when she had a lot on her mind, that she found it very hard to switch off and settle down enough to fall asleep.

'Did we make too much noise?' Joey asked her with a concerned look.

'No' Lauren shook her head 'you kept me awake with your snoring' Lauren replied glancing at Joey.

Joey looked surprise 'I don't snore' he shook his head.

'When you've been drinking you do' Lauren told him softly.

'I do?' he asked.

'Yep' she nodded and smiled at him weakly.

'Oh…sorry' Joey said, a little sheepishly 'I didn't know'

'It's okay' Lauren shrugged and she put her hand on Joey's thigh.

'So was Joey's snoring the only thing keeping you awake?' Claire asked her 'You've told me before that sometimes you can't sleep when you have things on your mind, things you're worried about, so is there something you're worried about?'

Lauren looked up at her and swallowed. 'No' she lied.

Claire took a deep breath and let it out slowly 'Joey, why don't you wait outside for a minute?' Claire said to him.

Joey looked at Lauren, then nodded 'Okay' he said. Lauren heard the door close as he left and she looked up at Claire.

'Okay, now Joey's not in the room maybe you'll feel more comfortable talking about what's on your mind'

'It's nothing' she said shaking her head.

'Why don't you let me be the judge of that?' Claire said. 'It's obviously worrying you enough to stop you from sleeping'

Lauren closed her eyes and she took a deep breath. 'Michael kissed me last night' Lauren said to her 'and I haven't told Joey'

'Why not?'

'Because he'll freak out' Lauren told her 'Michael apologised, said he'd misread the signals'

'What signals?'

'That's what I've been thinking about for most of the night, trying to figure out if I did give him any signals'

'Do you think you did?'

'No!' Lauren exclaimed and then frowned, shaking her head 'at least not deliberately anyway' she said 'I love Joey'

'I'm not doubting that' Claire said 'Are you?'

'No' Lauren shook her head 'Of course not'

'If you're certain you didn't do anything to give Michael the green light then you've nothing to worry about, do you?' she asked her.

'I guess not' Lauren said 'but I can't tell Joey… he'll do something stupid'

'I can't tell you what to do Lauren, but a relationship is built on trust and truth' she told her 'only you can decide if this is something you want to keep from Joey' Lauren nodded 'shall I call Joey back into the room?' Lauren's eyes widened in shock 'not to talk about this' Claire reassured her.

'I guess' Lauren shrugged.

Claire got up and walked to the door 'Joey, you can come back in now' she told him. She watched as Joey came back in and sat down, taking Lauren's hand in his and resting it on his thigh. Lauren smiled 'Okay Lauren, so tell me how your relationship with your father is?'

Lauren was quiet for a long time, she lowered her gaze and played with Joey's fingers. More than ten minutes passed before she answered. 'It's better now I'm not living at the house' she said quietly 'I know he means well, but to have him watch me like a hawk all the time just makes me feel as though he's waiting for me to fall off the wagon, like he expects me too' she said to her 'Like it's only a matter of time before I disappoint him again… like I always do' a few tears fell onto her jeans. Joey squeezed her hand gently.

'And things are different with Joey?' Claire asked softly.

'Joey knows I'm trying as hard as I can. I promised him and Phil that if I feel like a drink I'll talk to one of them and they promise they'd listen and not judge me' Lauren said 'Joey supports me and understands how I feel'

'You don't think your father would listen to you, you don't think he understands how you feel?' Claire asked her.

'Dad didn't even want to admit I had a problem' Lauren admitted to her 'I heard him telling mum that it just what girls my age did. Go out, get drunk…have fun' she shrugged.

'You don't think he would support you if you had a relapse?' Claire asked her.

Lauren laughed, rolling her eyes 'there'd be yelling, disappointment, and he would say I told you so'

'I told you so?' Claire frowned.

'He thinks I came out of rehab too early' Lauren said to her 'that I shouldn't have come back to Walford' she told her 'He thinks I should be at home with him instead of being with Joey'

'You completed your programme at the rehab centre and they wouldn't have signed off your release if they didn't think you were ready' Claire said to her 'Your counsellor was very impressed by your attitude and determination' she told her 'and you understood the importance to your recovery that you needed to return to Walford to start to make amends' Claire said to her 'You remember the 12 steps?'

'Yes' Lauren nodded.

'What are they?' Claire asked her.

Lauren licked her lips and she turned to look at Joey, he nodded his head encouragingly. She took a deep breath and she reeled off the 12 steps of recovery 'To admit I was powerless over alcohol—that my life had become unmanageable. To believe that a power greater than myself could restore sanity. To make a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God _as I understood Him_. To make a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself. Admitted to God, to myself, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs. To be ready to have God remove all these defects of character. To ask God to remove my shortcomings. Make a list of all persons I'd harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Continue to take personal inventory, and when I was wrong, promptly admit it. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God _as I understood Him_, praying only for knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry that out. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, I try to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all my affairs'

'Well done' Claire said with a smile 'and how do you think you're getting on so far?'

'Good. Really good' Lauren nodded with a smile 'It's hard work but it's worth it. I don't want to let anyone down. I don't want to see that look on Joey's face again' she said shaking her head 'I don't want to hurt him again'

Claire nodded 'I know you don't and I think you're doing brilliantly, if my opinion is worth anything' she said to Lauren with a smile.

'Thank you' she went a little bit red. Joey smiled at her proudly.

'She doesn't take compliments well' Joey told Claire.

'She should start trying to' Claire replied with a smile 'she's earned them. Okay, that's the end of this session. Next time, maybe you can bring Max with you, as well as Joey?' she asked Lauren.

'Maybe' Lauren said softly 'Probably not' she added afterwards.

Once they were outside the office, Lauren moved forward sliding her arms around Joey's waist and hugging him tightly.

'What's this for?' he asked her as he wrapped his arms around her.

'No reason, just… I love you' she said softly.

Joey smiled and kissed the top of her head 'I love you too babe' he murmured softly

**AN: So Lauren told her counsellor who told her that she needed to decide if she should tell Joey or not. The session started off badly but ended on a good note. Will Lauren tell Joey or will she ignore what happened, write it off as a mistake, will this push her back to the bottle? Read on to find out. Send me a review to let me know what you are thinking about Revelry. R&R as always. **


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-eight.**

Later that night, everyone was in the lounge watching a film, Alice and Kate were in the chairs, Lauren and Joey were snuggled up on the sofa.

Michael walked in, taking a seat on the sofa next to Lauren. She yawned 'Okay, I'm going to bed'

'But the film hasn't finished' Joey protested 'besides, it's still early, I'm not tired'

'Then stay up and watch the end' she told him 'I never said you had to come with me, Joey' she said as she got up 'Night'

'Night Lauren' Alice and Kat called after her.

The four of them sat there in silence 'Hope she didn't leave on my account' Michael said innocently.

Joey glanced at him, wondering why he would say something like that. After another fifteen minutes Joey got up to go to the bathroom, but instead of returning to the lounge he went into the bedroom. Lauren was sitting up in bed with a sketch book.

'I thought you were tired' he said to her as he shut the door. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it onto the chair.

'No, I said I was going to bed, not that I was tired' she replied and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

'What are you drawing?' he asked her.

'Nothing in particular, just doodling' she glanced up at him as he slid his jeans off. He climbed into the bed and leant over so he could see.

'Pretty impressive doodling' he said to her with a smile 'So … are you going to tell me what you and the counsellor spoke about when I left the room?' he asked her.

'Nope' she sighed and put her pencil and pad back in her bedside drawer.

'I thought you could tell me anything?'

'I can…It's just there are some things I've only told the counsellor' she told him as she flicked off the bedside lamp and snuggled down into the bed, rolling onto her side with her back to him.

Joey moved down in the bed, sliding up behind her. He brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed it softly.

'Joey, I'm not in the mood' she whispered as she felt his hand climbing towards her breast. He froze and moved away from her, rolling onto his back with a sigh. She closed her eyes feeling guilty. They both lay awake in silence.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour passed and neither of them were asleep, but neither of them spoke. Lauren sighed and she shifted in the bed for what must've been the twentieth time in 10 minutes.

'Are you going to keep still or are you going to move around all night?' Joey frowned.

'Sorry' Lauren said softly 'I just…I can't settle' she told him.

'Do you want me to sleep on the sofa?' he asked her 'You can have the bed to yourself?'

'No' she said quietly. She sat up and then climbed out of bed 'I will' she told him. He heard the bedroom door open and close and then the door to the lounge did the same.

He sighed, rolling on to his side and stared at the door. She hadn't returned after ten minutes, so Joey got up, he pushed the door to the lounge open and could hear her crying quietly on the sofa.

'Babe what's wrong?' he asked her, closing the door behind him.

'Nothing' she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands 'go back to bed'

'I don't want to go back to bed if you aren't coming too' he said to her softly. He sat down next to her 'talk to me, tell me what's wrong and don't say nothing because you don't cry for nothing unless you get your period and you're not due for another two weeks'

Lauren looked at him 'If I tell you, do you promise not to get angry?'

'Okay. Why do I get the feeling I am not going to like this?' he asked her.

'Joey, you have to promise me you won't get angry and you won't say or do anything' she pleaded with him.

He took a breath and ran his hands over his face 'Okay, yes I promise' he said to her knowing he was probably going to regret making that promise.

Lauren nodded and took a breath, letting it out slowly 'Michael…'

'What's he done?' he asked her, a frown marring his features.

'He… when I couldn't sleep, I got up and went into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate and he…' she trailed off and she frowned.

'What did he do Lauren?' Joey asked her gently.

'We were talking and he…..' she trailed off biting her bottom lip 'he kissed me'

'He…did…what?' he bit out angrily.

'I didn't do anything. I didn't encourage him, I swear, even though he said I did but I know I didn't…..' she blurted out. Joey got up and walked to the mantle. He grabbed it with his hands and looked down at the floor.

'Did you kiss him back?' he asked her.

'NO! Of course not, I pushed him away' she told him and stood up 'I wouldn't kiss him back!'

Joey raised his head and looked at her in the mirror 'When?' he asked her.

'Last night' Lauren said.

'He kissed you last night and you're only telling me about this now?' he frowned at her 'Why?'

'I needed to think' she whispered lowering her gaze.

'Think about what?' he snapped at her 'You said you pushed him away. What's to think about?' he frowned at her 'Were you thinking about if you liked it? If you wanted it to happen again?'

'No' Lauren frowned at his reflection 'He said I was giving him signals, signs I wanted him to kiss me'

'Were you?' he asked her.

Lauren's frown deepened, she shook her head, new tears falling 'No' she replied 'I can't believe you asked me that' she said sadly and she sat back down on the sofa.

He looked at her with a sigh and walked over to her, dropping down to his knees in front of her 'It's okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you' he told her 'I know you wouldn't do that' he kissed the top of her head.

'Are you angry with me' she looked up at him.

'No, baby' he shook his head 'I'm a little upset you didn't tell me about it earlier. But I'm pretty pissed off at Michael though'

'You won't do anything?' she looked at her.

'Lauren …'

'Please don't' she said shaking her head 'we still have to live here… things will be awkward, please'

'I want you to quit the job at the gym' he told her firmly.

'No, Joey' she frowned at him. 'You can't tell me what to do and besides you know we need the money. He won't try anything again. Please' she begged him.

He sighed, closing his eyes 'If he tries anything else or even looks at you funny…..'

'He won't' she said softly.

'He'd better not' he told her with a frown.

She looked at him 'Can we go back to bed now?' she asked him. Joey nodded and he followed her back into the bedroom.

**AN: Well Lauren told Joey what happened with Michael but only after making him promise he wouldn't do or say anything to Michael about it. Is this a promise Joey is going to be able to keep and if it isn't what does it mean for their relationship? R&R as always. **


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-Nine.**

Over the next couple of days Michael made himself scarce, he told Kat he had some urgent family business to attend to on the other side of London. Surprising Lauren, he left her in charge of the gym. And Joey kept his promise to Lauren and didn't say or do anything to Michael.

Lauren worked longer hours and was pleased with the 24 new members she'd signed up in Michael's absence. She'd had a busy day and still had some paperwork to finish up, she glanced at the time and saw that it was 7:30pm. She was late for dinner and Joey would've left to go to the club already. Lauren locked up the office and gym and walked back to the house.

'Where have you been?' Kat said as she came in.

'Working' she replied 'is Joey pissed?'

'Slight understatement' Alice said looking up from her book.

'Shit!' Lauren frowned 'I lost track of time, the gym was really busy today' she told them both. 'Is there food?' she asked them hopefully.

'There was' Kat said 'but I'm not sure he left any for you'

'Okay thanks' she nodded her head and went into the kitchen. She made herself some beans on toast, after she had eaten and cleared away, she got ready to go out.

She went to the Vic first and bumped into Whitney as she was leaving 'Oh sorry!' she exclaimed.

'It's alright I wasn't looking where I was going' she said to Lauren 'You look nice'

'Thanks' she said and she looked at Whitney who was also dressed up. 'You too, are you going on a date?'

'I wish. Tyler's gone to see his cousin, some sort of family emergency' she told her with a frown 'I was feeling bored thought I'd check out who was in the Vic but there's not really anyone here' she told her.

'Oh' Lauren frowned 'Fats and Poppy aren't here?'

'Nope they've gone to the West End to see a musical' Whitney said with a grin.

'Fats sitting through a musical…? Wow he really must really love Poppy' Lauren replied.

The two girls laughed and they looked at each other, as if suddenly remembering that they weren't friends.

'So …I'd better go' Whitney said to her.

Lauren nodded and she stepped to one side to let her leave. She turned as she watched her 'Whit!' she called out, the girl turned to look at her.

'I was going to go to the club, if you want to come?' she asked her 'Only if you want to?'

Whitney looked at her and nodded her head, with a smile 'yeah I'd like that' she told her.

The two girls headed towards the club. They paid to get in and headed to the bar. Lauren could see Joey serving and the two of them walked to the bar to get a drink. Joey glanced up and saw them both standing there, but made no effort to serve them.

'This could take a while' Lauren told Whitney 'I'm in Joey's bad books'

'Why?' Whitney asked her.

'I lost track of time at work, I've been working longer hours since Michael left, Joey was cooking me dinner tonight, my favourite. We haven't really seen that much of each other over the past few days with Michael being away...'

'I forgot you were working at the gym' Whitney said 'how's that going?'

'It's good' Lauren nodded.

'Must be awful seeing all those sweaty guys'

'Mmhmm' Lauren nodded her head 'you know if it wasn't for their six packs and tight washboard stomachs, it would be horrible. Sometimes I have to draw the blinds to stop myself from staring' she grinned at Whitney. She glanced up and saw that Joey was slowly making his way towards them. The two girls giggled as Whitney stated she might have to join the gym.

When Joey finally reached them he didn't look at Lauren 'Alright Whit? What can I get you?' he asked her, completely ignoring Lauren.

'Two cranberry juices and lemonade please' she said.

Joey nodded and turned to fix their drinks. Lauren shrugged off her coat whilst his back was turned and pulled herself up onto a stool, Whitney grinned at her seeing the short, low cut dress she was wearing.

'Damn it, is that a ladder in my stocking?' she asked Whitney as Joey turned back with their drinks, she leant forward, knowing she was displaying an impressive amount of cleavage as she ran her hand down her leg. Whitney bit back a smile as she saw Joey's eyes fixed on Lauren's chest. 'Oh no, my mistake' Lauren said and she sat upright on the stool. She saw the drinks in front of her and she looked up at Joey. 'Thank you' she said, Joey's eyes moved to her face and she saw the lust in them. She pulled some money out of her purse and held it out to Joey. He took it without a word, turning to the till to get her change. He put the change on the counter and moved onto the next person waiting to be served. Lauren frowned when he walked away.

'Shall we get a table?' Whitney asked her, Lauren nodded and took a sip of her drink, getting off the stool. They walked over to a table that was in Joey's eye-line and sat down, Lauren crossed her legs and ran her hand over her stockings again. 'He's pretty mad at you' Whitney said to her glancing at Joey briefly.

'I know' she nodded her head 'Joey doesn't want me to work at the gym' she replied.

'I'm not surprised if you spend the day lusting after all the fit men' she teased her.

'Perks of the job' Lauren grinned and then giggled.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey kept his eye on his girlfriend throughout the night, he was disappointed each time they finished their drinks that it was Whitney who came to get them and not Lauren.

He was pleased to see though, whatever differences the two girls had had that they'd clearly put them behind them and looked as though they were having a good time out together.

Lauren was enjoying herself. She had missed Whitney most out of her and Lucy. Whitney never seemed to judge her no matter what she did and was always there for her. She was glad her stupid attempt at trying to make Joey jealous by kissing Tyler had been forgiven and forgotten about.

They talked about the upcoming wedding and Lauren offered to design the wedding invitations for her. Whitney was pleased this was another thing off her list of things to do and worry about.

Whitney went to the bathroom and Lauren went to get more drinks.

'Hi I'm Adam' someone said from beside her.

Lauren turned to see who Adam was 'Oh hi! Yeah, I remember you from the gym. I'm Lauren' she said with a smile.

'Wow….you look totally different outside of the office' he told her.

'This isn't really appropriate office attire' Lauren gestured at her dress.

'So are you here alone?' he asked her.

'No, I'm here with my friend Whitney' Lauren replied 'She's just popped to the bathroom'

Adam nodded 'Can I buy you a drink?'

'Oh, that's really nice of you but I'm okay' she replied. She glanced at the bar to see where Joey was. He glanced up at her and she gave him a small smile which he didn't return. She swallowed and turned her attention back to Adam.

'Are you sure I can't get you a drink?' he asked her

'Sorry' she said with a small smile.

'Okay, well the offer is there' he told her. Joey reached them and he served Adam first. Adam brought four tequilas and he put one down in front of Lauren with a wink before he walked away. Joey frowned. Lauren stared at the drink, with a frown as Whitney came back, she pushed the shot over to her.

'Some guy brought it for me even after I said no' Lauren said to her, Whitney picked up the shot drinking it down and pulling a face which made Lauren laugh at her.

'Ergh!' Whitney shook her head 'that's awful'

'Why did you drink it then?' Lauren asked her as Joey turned back to serve them.

'So you wouldn't' Whitney replied 'So two more cranberry juices?' she asked Lauren, she nodded her head.

You go sit down, I'll bring them over' Lauren said to her.

Joey got the drinks and put them down in front of Lauren, she handed him the money and this time held her hand out for the change. Joey put the money in her hand and she grabbed his fingers. He looked at her.

'I'm sorry' she said to him softly 'If you let me I can make it up to you later'

Joey shook his head, without saying a word. He pulled his fingers out of hers and walked off down the bar, leaving a slightly disheartened girlfriend behind.

Lauren picked up the drinks and took them back to Whitney, 'Everything okay?' Whitney asked her.

She shook her head 'Joey's really mad at me' she said.

'I'm sure you'll work things out' Whitney said to her.

'He's never been this mad at me before' she shook her head 'Well only once, and that's when he broke up with me' she said 'But even then he was speaking to me'

'I'm sure he's not going to do that' Whitney told her, glancing over Joey, seeing he was staring at Lauren.

'I'm just going to nip to the bathroom' Lauren said to her. Whitney nodded.

Joey watched Lauren go into the bathroom, keeping an eye on her when she returned to Whitney. She sat down with a sigh and finished her drink 'Do you want another one?' Whitney asked her.

Lauren shook her head 'No I was thinking about going home'

'It's still early' Whitney said glancing at the time on her phone 'Let's dance hey?'

'Okay' she nodded and let Whitney drag her onto the dance floor.

They danced for half an hour and then slow songs came on, Whitney was dancing with a friend of Tyler's, Lauren made her way back to the table. She glanced at the bar and saw Joey was still working she grabbed her purse and jacket and walked over to the bar perching on a stool.

When Whitney came back she looked at Lauren 'Are you ready to go?' she asked her.

'No, I think I'm going to stay until the club closes' she said to her looking at Joey.

'Okay, I'm going to make a move I have to be up early so… I had a really good time tonight Lauren'

'Me too' she said to her 'Maybe we can do it again?'

'Absolutely' Whitney nodded. The two girls hugged 'I've really missed you Lauren. I'm glad you are back' she smiled 'I'll call you later' she smiled at her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL

A couple of hours later, Lauren turned and looked behind the bar for Joey but he wasn't there. She sighed, pulling on her coat and picking up her purse before heading out of the club. She got outside, shivering slightly, and pulling her coat a little tighter around herself.

She let herself into number 23, the house was dark, quiet. She went into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. She didn't bother with the lights as she could see clearly enough as she hadn't shut the curtains in the room. She took her shoes off and rubbed her aching feet. She stood up, undid the zip on her dress, and with a little wiggle it dropped to the floor, she was standing in her underwear. A red basque with stockings and suspenders.

She heard the front door open and close, followed by footsteps coming towards the bedroom. She held her breath and looked for something to grab to cover herself with. The footsteps stopped and then moved away from the doorway.

Fifteen minutes later, she had finished taking her makeup off and reached for her water but found the glass empty. She frowned, grabbed Joey's robe from the back of the door, she pulled it on over the underwear and walked out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. She flicked the light on and jumped seeing Joey sitting at the table with a coffee. She walked to the sink and rinsed her glass out before refilling it, she drank it all down before refilling it for a second time. Taking a deep breath, she turned round, Joey was staring into his coffee.

'I said I was sorry, Joey' she whispered softly. He didn't reply to her and she let out a sigh 'are you coming to bed?' she asked him, again he didn't reply 'Joey….please….' he looked up at her.

'I'll sleep on the sofa' he told her.

'Fine!' she snapped at him 'You do that. And don't think it's going to be for one night either' she shrugged deciding if he was going to be childish then she was going to let him. She walked towards the door.

'I want my robe' he told her somewhat petulantly. She walked back over to him, slamming her glass onto the side, splashing water over her hand and the counter, keeping her back to him she untied the robe, and shrugged it off, letting it drop onto the floor. She heard Joey inhale as he saw what she was wearing. She felt humiliated and hurt and left the glass where it was, turning to walk out. He caught her wrist with his hand.

'Let go' she murmured quietly and Joey knew she was crying. He instantly felt guilty for giving her the cold shoulder and silent treatment all night.

'I'm sorry' Joey said to her. He stood up, still holding her wrist and picked up the robe and draped it over her shoulders 'I'm an idiot' he told her 'You apologised and I should have accepted it, instead of behaving like a sulky child' he said. She put her arms through the sleeves of the robe and pulled it closed turning around to look at him 'I tried to call you, sent you texts and you didn't reply, I thought you were ignoring me'

'My phone died again' she told him 'I was so engrossed in the work I lost track of the time. I wasn't deliberately ignoring you'

'You know I think it's time we got you a new phone, hey?' he asked her. She nodded her head.

'We can go and look for one at the weekend?' he suggested to her. She nodded again.

Joey reached out and wiped her tears away with his knuckles 'I'm sorry I made you cry' he told her softly.

'I'm sorry I missed the dinner you cooked for me' she replied.

'So we're both sorry, does that mean we're friends again?' he asked her as he tucked her hair behind her ear,

'I guess' she whispered softly as Joey moved closer to her.

'Yeah?' he murmured questioningly as he moved forward, brushing his nose against hers. He pressed his lips against hers gently and she slid her arms around his neck. His hands moved underneath the robe to sit on her waist.

'Yeah' she nodded.

'You looked incredible tonight' he told her softly 'very sexy'

Lauren looked up at him 'I wore it for you' she replied.

'And this? Did you wear this for me too?' he asked her, looking at her body in the red underwear.

'Yes' she whispered.

'It's very…..sexy' he told her with a smile 'another one of your new sets you brought?'

'Mmhmm' she nodded. Joey backed her to the table and picked her up, sitting her on the table. He ran his hands up her thighs and pushed her legs apart so he could stand between them. He pushed the robe off her shoulder and trailed his finger over one of the straps of her basque, before tucking his fingers underneath and pushing it off. He bent his head and kissed her shoulder gently. He pushed her back against the table as he moved his lips to her neck. She moaned softly as she felt her arousal flood through her, Joey encouraged her to wrap her legs around him and he pressed his growing erection against her firmly, eliciting a low moan from both of them.

Lauren moaned softly again as Joey's lips trailed over her skin. One of his hands found it's way to her breast and he squeezed gently. She arched up into him, inadvertently pressing their groins together. Joey's hands moved to her back and he picked her up from the table and carried her towards their bedroom. He paused outside, pressing her up against the wall as he kissed her hungrily. Both of them were lost in each other and didn't hear the front door open and close.

'Don't you two have a bedroom you can do that in instead of a communal area of the house?' Michael snapped at them both. Joey broke the kiss briefly and he deliberately pulled Lauren down against his erection. She gasped and Joey turned them so her back was to Michael, he kissed her again and as he walked backwards in to their room, he opened his eyes to look at Michael. He broke the kiss and still holding his gaze he licked her neck and then sucked on it hard causing her to groan again. Letting Michael know, in no uncertain terms, that he was the one with Lauren. Joey pushed the door shut, and he pressed Lauren against it.

Michael's jaw twitched in anger as he heard Lauren groan again from behind the closed door, his hands clenching into fists by his side. Michael had had enough. He wanted Joey and Lauren out of the house, Alice too. All she ever talked about was how happy Joey was. How Lauren was happier than she'd ever been. He was sick of it, sick of them all. Sick of Joey rubbing his nose in the fact he was with Lauren in the way Michael wanted to be.

Oh, they were going to pay.

**AN: For a moment there, I thought Joey and Lauren were going to go days without speaking to each other, glad they made up though! So what do you think Michael is planning? How is he going to make them pay? And Alice too…Little Alice who hasn't done anything to anybody... Let me know what you think. R&R as always **


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter fifty.**

Lauren groaned as Joey nudged her panties to one side and pushed two fingers inside her, he fumbled with the zip on his jeans, needing to be inside her, using his body to keep her against the door. He freed his erection from his boxers and held it in his hand, stroking his cock firmly. He groaned and removed his fingers from her, pressing the head of his cock against her entrance. He pushed forward slightly, letting the tip of him slip inside her.

'Joey please' she begged softly. Taking pity on her, he thrust his hips forward and sank into her in one swift movement.

'Ah!' she cried out, a mixture of relief and anticipation.

Joey thrust inside her a few more times and turned, carrying her towards the bed, both of them catching sigh of their reflection in the mirror of the vanity; the mirror she'd insisted on moving in from her house. Joey watched himself moving in and out of Lauren and had an idea. He pulled out of her and moved towards the vanity, he was pleased Lauren was a neat freak and the surface of the vanity was clear. He looked down at her and saw the questions in her eyes. He glanced down at the stockings and suspenders, seeing they were in the way of her panties.

'Were these expensive?' he asked her as his thumbs rubbed her stockings. She shook her head with a confused frown, 'good' he said, he tugged on both stockings, tearing them slightly as they came away from the suspenders, he pulled on her panties and they tore too in his desperation to remove them.

'Oh!' she gasped. He looked at her apologetically as he discarded the torn fabric then moved the chair out of his way and glanced at the mirror again, Lauren frowned and looked over her shoulder to see what he was looking at; she was even more confused when all she could see was the mirror.

Joey could see the bed in the reflection too and he had another idea. He put Lauren on her feet next to the bed and dragged the vanity so it was level to the bed. Going back to Lauren he brushed her hair over one shoulder and bent his head. He started to kiss her neck and throat, helping her to kneel on the bed. He glanced at the mirror again, seeing that it was now in the perfect position.

'On your hands and knees' he told her huskily. Lauren licked her lips doing as he asked.

'Like this?' she asked him wriggling her bottom.

'Perfect' he said with a grin. He moved up away from her slightly pulling his shirt over his head; and stripping off his jeans before moving behind her once before. He grabbed her waist and pulled her back towards him, positioning himself at her entrance and he looked into the mirror as he slowly sank into her. He watched as he slowly moved in and out of her, seeing his cock glistening with her moisture. He groaned and looked down as he thrust in and out of her a few more times, 'So fucking perfect' he murmured.

Lauren turned her head and she caught sight of herself in the mirror and realised why Joey had moved the vanity. She groaned softly and his eyes met hers in the mirror, he held her gaze as he increased his rhythm. They were soon both gasping and moaning, Lauren closed her eyes as she felt her peak building, Joey growled as he felt her snug warmth gripping him tightly. She felt his chest press against her back and he moved a hand from her waist over her stomach to slide between her legs, he groaned when he found her hand already there, as she strove to reach her orgasm. He placed his hand over hers, forcing her to rub her clit that little bit harder and faster.

They both came loudly, briefly forgetting about the sleeping people upstairs. They collapsed on the bed, both breathless and covered in a light sheen of sweat.

'Wow!' Lauren exclaimed.

'You can say that again' Joey said softly.

'Wow!' she repeated and Joey grinned looking at her.

'Yeah, wow' he nodded his head.

'I guess you really liked the lingerie huh?' she asked him.

'I really like you' he corrected her 'The lingerie was just a very sexy bonus' he told her as he rolled onto his side, his fingers traced the curve of her breast and his eyes darkened.

'Again?' Lauren asked a little surprised.

'Again' he nodded as he kissed her.

**AN: Okay so this chapter was just purely sex! Didn't want to disappoint you all in missing out on the sexy fun that Lauren and Joey have! Hope you liked it! Well there's another chapter on offer GO GO GO! R&R as always**


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-One. **

The next morning Lauren was up early, ready to go to work. She had her breakfast and grabbed her jacket and keys and was about to leave when Michael came down the stairs.

'Where are you going?' he asked her.

'To open the gym' she replied opening the front door.

'I don't think so' he told her shaking his head 'I won't need you today'

'But there's a lot of things to do, I've got new memberships to process and the towels need to be picked up from the launderette and the fliers for the next fight night should be being delivered today' she started to reel off the tasks she needed to do.

'What part of I don't need you today did you not understand?' Michael snapped at her angrily, he held out his hand. She stared at it blankly 'Keys, girl! Give me the keys' he growled. Lauren frowned as she dropped the keys in to his outstretched hand 'thank you' Michael said and he pushed her out of the way, walking out of the door and slamming it shut behind him. A few minutes later, she heard Tommy start to cry, followed by the creaking of Kat's bed as she got up.

Alice appeared at the top of the stairs 'What was that?' she asked Lauren sleepily.

'Michael' she said with a frown. She walked into the lounge, sinking down onto the sofa, wondering what had got Michael in such a bad mood. Feeling restless, she got up and went into the kitchen making another coffee before returning to the lounge. She sat down on the sofa and flicked on the TV. Kat came down a few minutes later with Tommy and she came into the lounge.

'What the hell was that banging?' she asked Lauren.

'Michael, apparently he got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning, he told me he didn't need me at work today'

'Well that's no excuse for slamming the door and waking up Tommy' she frowned at her.

'I know, sorry' Lauren apologised somehow feeling responsible for Michael's bad mood.

'I wasn't having a go at you' Kat said 'it's not your fault Michael can be such a dick sometimes'

'Tell me about it' Lauren frowned at her 'Still it means I have a free day so…' she shrugged.

'You and Joey going to spend it together?' she asked her with a knowing smile.

'If he's free' Lauren smiled back.

As it turned out, Joey wasn't free, having promised Alice some brother sister bonding time, which had been severely lacking lately, and even though Alice insisted she wouldn't mind if Lauren tagged along, Lauren felt like she would be imposing.

Finding herself at a loose end, Lauren decided she would go and see if Michael had calmed down a little bit. She walked down the stairs to the gym and saw Adam. He waved at her and she smiled at him. She walked into the office and saw Michael sitting at his desk. She saw papers all over the floor and realised these were what she'd left on her desk last night, she frowned and she looked at him. 'What happened here?' she asked him.

'What are you doing here?' he glared at her.

'I came to see if you were in a better mood than you were earlier' she said to him. She stepped forward and something cracked under her feet. She frowned and she looked down, realising she'd stood on glass. She crouched down and uncovered the picture frame that contained a picture of her and Joey which Alice had given her. She picked it up carefully and turned it over seeing the picture was missing. Confused she moved the papers around, looking for it.

'Leave that, you'll cut yourself' Michael said.

'Where's the picture Michael?' she frowned and stood up.

'It's there somewhere' he replied.

'Did you do this?' she asked him.

'Your desk was cluttered' he told her 'Now it isn't' as if that was a perfectly reasonable excuse for what he did. 'If you don't want me to work here anymore all you had to do is was so' she said, her eyes filling with tears 'you didn't have to ruin my things' she crouched down again and picked up a broken pottery handprint Oscar had made for her. Her tears started to blur her vision and as she picked a pile of papers she felt glass slice the palm of her hand, 'Ouch' she stood up and looked at the blood,

'See, now look what you've done' Michael frowned at her 'I warned you this would happen'

'Can you pass me the first aid kit' she asked him.

'No, go home and sort it out'

'I can't. I'm left handed, I've cut the palm of my left hand' she replied.

'Well, get monkey boy to do it then' he said dismissively.

'I've told you before, his name is Joey, and he's gone out with Alice for the day'

Michael frowned, standing up he moved a few steps closer to her. He glanced at her hand and frowned not having realised before how badly she'd cut it.

'All right, let me see' he said and he walked over to her, 'you might need stitches' he said to her.

He got the first aid kit, carefully cleaned her hand with some antiseptic wipes, apologising when she flinched. He wrapped a bandage around her hand and she sniffed.

'There. All better' he told her softly, he reached out and wiped her tears away, 'I'm sorry I got angry with you, it was just seeing you with him last night….it made me feel sick to my stomach…the way he was pawing over you….being rough with you. You should be treated like you're made of glass' he told her.

'He wasn't doing anything I didn't want him to' she replied 'Look, you have to get over this Michael. Joey is my boyfriend, he's the one I want. I love him' she said 'And I'm not going to keep having this conversation with you… what Joey and I do is none of your business' she told him angrily. She looked down at her hand, dropping the broken ornament back onto the floor.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Outside the gym, she dialled Phil's number, there was no reply. She tried to call Joey but his phone was switched off. She left him a voice mail, asking him to call her as soon as he could. She took a deep breath and made her way to the pub. There was a young woman she didn't recognise behind the bar. 'Hello, what can I get you?' she asked her.

'Vodka and cranberry juice then top it off with lemonade please' she said. Her hands were shaking as she pulled out her money. She paid for her drink and walked towards the corner to sit down at a table.

'Hey Lauren!' she heard Alice call her name. She froze and turned round, seeing Alice sitting at a table behind her, 'You just walked straight past me. Are you okay?' she asked her.

'Er… Yeah….. I didn't see you there' Lauren said and she looked around nervously 'where's Joey?'

'Men's room' she said to her 'Come join us?' Lauren swallowed and she looked at her drink 'what happened to your hand?' Alice asked as she noticed the bandage.

'It's nothing, I cut it' she replied.

'How?'

'Broken glass' she said. She glanced around the pub certain that people were staring at her. She frowned and took a seat next to Alice and put the drink in front of her.

'What's this?' Alice asked her as she picked it up and sniffed it 'It looks nice'

'Cranberry juice and lemonade' Lauren replied. She glanced around the pub again nervously and Alice took a mouthful

'There's Vodka in this' Alice frowned at her 'why would you buy vodka?'

'That's what I would like to know' Joey said appearing from nowhere 'Care to explain Lauren?'

She swallowed and looked up at him.

**AN: Lauren's been caught with alcohol. She tried to call Phil and Joey but despite their promises to always be available for her, they weren't. Joey will be understanding and reassuring when she tells him what had happened with Michael though right? R&R as always **


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-Two.**

'It's nothing Joey, leave it' Lauren replied with a frown,

'You buy alcohol in the pub which you clearly had every intention of drinking, after you promised me and Phil that if you felt like you needed to drink you would come and find one of us' he frowned at her 'So what happened?'

'Joey please' she scowled, knowing people were looking at her now 'Not here' she said to him.

'Why not here?' he snapped at her angrily. She stood up and reached for his arm but he shrugged her off 'I trusted you Lauren and this is how you repay me? By sneaking around behind my back? Were you going to get drunk?'

'No' she shook her head 'Maybe…I don't know, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I'm sorry' she told him. Lucy, Whitney and Tyler chose that moment to walk into the pub. 'Please can we just go home and talk'

'I'm having lunch with my sister' he told her 'You can either talk to me here, right now, or you can go home and pack up your stuff'

'Okay fine, I went to see Michael' she said to him.

'Michael! I might have known this would have something to do with him, I don't know how many times I've told you I don't like you working for him but you never listen to me, do you hey?'

'Joey…' Lauren blinked at him, getting upset by his sudden and unexpected anger 'I'm sorry…' she whispered.

'You're always fucking sorry Lauren but you never do anything about it. I've told you I don't like the way he talks to you or treats you, or the way he looks at you. He's already made his feelings pretty clear and you just revel in the attention, don't you, hey? I bet you lead him on, flirting with him'

'That's not true! You know I don't' she snapped at him angrily 'I can't believe you're still jealous. You know what? That's not my problem, it's yours' she frowned at him angrily 'and for your information, I tried to call you but your phone was switched off and so was Phil's. So tell me, Joey, when you said you'd always be there for me was that just a lie or did you just mean when it was convenient for you!?' she shouted at him angrily 'you know this is just so typical of you Joey, throwing in the towel when things get tough…. I don't know why I expected anything different this time. God, you're so much like Derek sometimes'

'Don't you dare turn this around on me…and don't you dare compare me to him' anger flashed in his eyes.

'Joey, calm down' Alice said, seeing him shaking with anger.

'Stay out of it, Alice' Lauren and Joey snapped at her, before turning to glare at each other angrily.

They stared at each other, taking deep breaths and Joey felt his anger suddenly dissipate as he looked at the girl he loved, seeing her looking so distraught. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He glanced down at her hand, seeing she'd clenched her hand into a fist so hard that blood was dripping from the bandage.

'Why don't you let me take a look at that' he asked her softly, reaching for her hand. She took a step away from him and he looked at her in surprise.

'No! You don't get to do that! Not after you've accused me of leading Michael on, not after you've embarrassed and humiliated me in front of everyone' she shook her head as angry tears rolled down her cheeks.

'Babe' he took a step forward. He didn't see it coming, no one did; not until they heard the noise of skin connecting with skin as Lauren slapped him hard across the face with her injured hand. He looked at her in surprise as he cupped his stinging cheek with his hand.

'Ouch!' she frowned, cupping her left hand in her right 'You stay away from me, Joseph Branning!' she spat at him 'Do you hear me? We're done' she said and turned, heading for the door. She saw Michael in the way and he'd clearly witnessed the whole thing 'Move!' she hissed at him. He stepped aside and let her out of the pub, a smirk on his face as he watched her leave.

Joey frowned and sat down next to Alice 'Will you go and see if she's okay?' he asked her softly.

Alice nodded getting up and going after Lauren.

**AN: Well Joey didn't handle that very well did he? Are Lauren and Joey over? Will Alice help Lauren or will she make things worse? What happens now? I may be persuaded to give you another chapter tonight if you give me at least 12 reviews by 9pm…..but be warned….be careful what you wish for! R&R as always**


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-three.**

Alice followed Lauren back to the house. 'Lauren wait….' She called after her cousin.

Lauren spun round, 'Joey sent you to fight his battles for him did he?' she frowned at her.

'What? No, of course not' she shook her head 'I wanted to see if you were okay'

'Do I look okay?' Lauren snapped.

'Well no but….' Alice started to say.

'Leave me alone, Alice' Lauren said letting herself into the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

Once inside, she pulled her bags out of the wardrobe and tossed them on the bed. She grabbed a fistful of clothes, dropping them into a bag. She saw blood on the clothes, turning her hand over with a frown and discovering the bandage was saturated with blood. She took the bandage off and looked at her hand. She went upstairs to the bathroom and ran it under the cold tap, then carefully patted it dry with toilet paper. She got another bandage from the first aid box and after about fifteen minutes of trying, she'd managed to get it wrapped around her hand, sticking it down with plaster. She cleaned up in the bathroom before going back downstairs to the bedroom. She pushed the bag onto the floor and climbed onto the bed, hugging her pillow tightly. She thought about the things she and Joey had said to each other. She remembered she'd told him it was over, tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt her world ending.

*JL*JL*L*JL*

Joey took a breath and walked out of the pub after Alice returned, telling him Lauren wanted to be alone and she was apparently angry with Alice too. He walked to the arches and found Phil sitting at the desk, talking on the phone, Joey knocked on the door. Phil looked up at him.

'Grant I've got to go, I'll call you later' he said to him hanging up 'Joey. What can I do for you?'

'You said if I needed to talk….' Joey trailed off.

'Jay, I'm taking a break' Phil said grabbing his coat. He followed Joey out of the garage. They walked to the café and Phil brought them both a coffee. They took a seat in the corner by the window.

'What's on your mind?' he asked him.

'I just had a huge fight in the pub with Lauren' he told her 'She brought some vodka'

'Why?' Phil asked and he pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket. 'This bloody battery has the lifespan of a fruit fly' he frowned.

'You must have got yours the same place Lauren did' Joey joked feebly, avoiding the question.

'Did she call you?' Phil asked him.

'My phone was off' he replied 'I was spending the day with Alice, I know she's been feeling a little neglected lately and I didn't want to get to distracted' he replied 'I wasn't expecting Lauren to have a wobble today'

'We don't really plan when we are going to have "wobbles" they kind of just happen' Phil told him 'What caused it?'

Joey looked up at him and realised he didn't know 'I didn't ask' he said to him 'I just…I lost my temper with her' he admitted 'Oh God' Joey groaned 'I said some things I didn't mean…'

'What was the fight about?'

'Well, it started off about how I couldn't trust her; that she went behind my back, and then it kind of turned into a shouting match about Michael'

'What happened to your face?' Phil gestured at Joey's reddening cheek.

'She slapped me' Joey said 'after she compared me to Derek, and then she told me we were over'

Phil sighed 'What part about being supportive and understanding did you miss when I explained it to you' he frowned at Joey.

'I know, I know… I just…..I flipped out as soon as she said Michael's name'

'So what's Michael been doing?' Phil asked him.

'The way he talks to her sometimes, the way he looks at her, the way he is with her, he yells at her for no reason and then he expects her to come running when he wants her and she does and it pisses me off.' Joey told him 'He kissed her a few weeks back'

'He did what?' Phil frowned.

'He told her she was sending him signals….'

'Was she?'

'Of course not' Joey said shaking his head 'she's not like that'

'And she's still working for him?' Phil frowned, not happy about the situation any more than Joey was.

'I've told her several times I don't want her to work for him and she just refuses to quit, insisting she wants…needs to earn her own money, be independent' Joey told him.

Phil took a breath and let it out slowly 'I may be able to find her a job at the club, office paperwork or something, I can have a word with Janine' Phil said 'she doesn't have to be in the club to do the work, we could arrange for her to work from home or in Janine's office' Phil said, almost as an after-thought 'and you … you need to talk to her, listen to her, apologise for being an idiot'

Joey sighed and nodded 'I know' he ran his hand over the back of his neck 'She looked so hurt, so bewildered at my outburst…..almost the same look she had when I finished with her when she was drunk…. as soon as she said she had been to see Michael…..I lost it…'

'You leave the job front to me. You have to convince Lauren that she needs to quit and that it's not the end of the world to lean on you for a little while. You have enough money?'

'We get by' Joey said 'I have to admit Lauren's money helps' Phil fished his wallet out of his jacket and pulled out a bundle of notes, holding them out to Joey, he shook his head, 'I can't take this'

'Yes you can and you will' he nodded his head 'tell her it's a bonus from the club' he told him. 'Go on. Take it!' he insisted.

'Thanks Phil' Joey said, taking the money, pushing it into his pocket.

I'd use some of that to buy her some flowers if I were you, maybe a new mobile phone' he told him 'then go home and apologise to her' he told Joey.

'Thanks Phil' he said nodding his head.

'Well, what are you waiting for?' he frowned at the young man.

Joey nodded and got up, walking out of the café just as Janine walked in.

'Ah Janine…just the person'

'What can I do for you Phil?' she asked him.

**AN: So Joey's realised he let Lauren down by not being available for her, as well as acting like an idiot and a jealous fool. He knows he needs to make amends. Will he take Phil's advice? Will Lauren accept his apology? R&R as always **


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-four**

The following night, Lauren couldn't sleep. She'd been lying in bed replaying the day over and over in her head; unable to settle. She glanced at Joey's empty side of the bed, wishing he was home. But, unfortunately he was working late at the club tonight. Lauren decided she would go for run and then maybe meet him after the club closed and walk home with him. Climbing out of bed she pulled on some clothes she could run in, put on her trainers and grabbed a jacket off the back of the chair before she crept out of the house.

As she ran she thought.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

That morning she and Joey had both woken up and were both sorry for the argument they'd had the day before….Another argument about Michael. Michael was all they seemed to fight about recently.

Joey had spent the night on the sofa. When he got home he'd found Lauren asleep on his side of the bed, and decided to leave her be. He left the vase of roses on her bedside table and the box on her side of the bed for her to find when she woke up the next morning, or in the middle of the night. He woke the next morning a little sore and stiff from spending the night on the sofa. He stood up and stretched before he went into the bedroom to get some clean clothes. He discovered Lauren was awake and she was staring teary eyed at the roses he'd left for her. She'd opened the box and found it contained a new mobile phone. Joey had already programmed his number into it. Joey had then told her he was so sorry for what he'd said to her and he knew he should've been supportive towards her but he felt angry and hurt she felt she couldn't call him. He'd then admitted he'd become a little blasé about her recovery. He thought she wouldn't need to call him for help and he'd turned his mobile phone. He was very apologetic and promised it would never happen again. He'd told her how guilty he felt that she'd needed him and he wasn't there for her… again. This in turn had made him feel angry with himself and he took his anger out on her.

He also told her he'd gone to talk to Phil and Phil told him he was an idiot, which Joey said he had already figured out.

Joey asked Lauren what had upset her yesterday, causing her to turn to vodka. She'd told him what Michael had said to her and what he'd done to her desk. Destroying the little ornament Oscar had made for her when he was 3, something that could never be replaced. She was heartbroken it'd been smashed in a fit of rage by a man that seemed to be angry with her for her relationship with Joey.

Lauren had even told Joey she was a little frightened of Michael now and she didn't want to work there anymore. She told Joey that he'd been right and she should've listened to him earlier. She told him Michael had witnessed their fight and had smirked at her as she walked out of the pub.

So that morning, Lauren had promised Joey that she'd quit the gym. Joey in turn, apologised for being jealous. He knew he had no reason to be and he also knew Lauren would have, in no way shape or form, encouraged Michael's infatuation with her. Joey knew Lauren loved him.

Joey told her, he in turn, loved her more than he even thought was possible and the thought of not being with her terrified him. So they'd kissed and made up, and Joey had made love to her, so gently and tenderly, that she felt like crying at the feelings he was evoking in her. They'd laid together talking softly, making plans together for the next week. As they talked, they kissed occasionally and passions were aroused again. The second time was much different than the first. More about fucking than making love and Lauren's nails had dug painfully into his back, breaking the skin, as she dragged them over his back, making him bleed.

Lauren had apologised profusely while she was cleaning the cuts, gently dabbing them with antiseptic. Joey told her not to worry, reassuring her they didn't hurt, which was a little white lie. She promised herself she would go to the salon later that day and have her nails cut and filed a bit shorter.

Keeping her promise, she'd gone to the salon at lunchtime, before she needed to go to the gym. She'd prepared a speech she was going to say to Michael and was going over it in her head… and had been all morning. If she was truthful she was a little worried, but she also knew it would be a huge relief not to be working there anymore. She also knew it would relieve a lot of the tension in her relationship with Joey.

Of course, telling Michael wouldn't be as easy as she thought it would be. She thought he'd be pleased she wouldn't be working there anymore, but in fact, it was an entirely different story.

Michael had been quiet as Lauren told him she was quitting. He said nothing to her. She placed the keys to the gym on his desk and turned to go when he spoke. He told her he thought it was for the best that she didn't work with him anymore, under the circumstances. It would make things easier for them to have a relationship, now they wouldn't be spending so much time together.

Lauren frowned at him telling him they didn't have a relationship and they never would. She told him, in no uncertain terms, that she was with Joey. She loved Joey. When he questioned her about the fight he'd witnessed, she told him they'd talked and had made up and everything was okay between them again.

Michael had scoffed at her and told her she needed to be with a real man, that Monkey Boy was weak and pathetic and he thought Lauren could do so much better than him.

Lauren had asked him if he meant like him. And Michael had smiled and nodded 'Yes like me, exactly like me' he'd told her. He promised he would make her happy, he would show her what making love with a real man would be like.

Lauren had lost it then and she had told Michael that the thought of him touching her made her feel physically sick. She thought he was repulsive and slimy and she would never be attracted to him even if he was the last man on the earth. She'd seen the shock and hurt on Michael's face as she told him exactly what she thought about him. She'd then turned on her heels and fled the gym, seeking solace in Joey's arms.

Michael hadn't come home that night and she was worried she might have gone too far. She was worried he would do something stupid. When she'd voiced her concerns to Joey he had said 'good riddance if he has'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren's run had brought her to the gym. She paused outside frowning when she realised the door wasn't locked. She pushed it open, concerned the gym had been broken into or vandalised.

'Hello?' she called out with a shaky voice. She crept down the stairs and saw a light on in the office, she moved forward and saw Michael was there.

'What are you doing here? Come to say more nasty and hurtful things?' he slurred his words. Lauren saw the bottle of scotch in front of him on the table, he downed the full glass he had in his hands and poured another glass 'Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners… would you liked some?' he held the glass out to her. She shook her head.

'The gym was open, I was worried someone had broken in, vandalised the place, stolen things' she told him. She turned to go, she didn't even hear him move but the next thing she knew he'd grabbed her upper arm with a vice like grip and turned her round, pulling her towards him, pressing his body close to hers.

'Really? Maybe you came for this' he said and he caught hold of her ponytail, pulling her face to his as he kissed her roughly. She managed to push him away and slapped him hard across the face. Michael raised his arm and backhanded her across her face in return. She felt her head hit something hard, and then everything went black…..

**AN: Lauren and Joey have made up and things between them are better than ever. Lauren was right to be worried about telling Michael she was quitting….but even Lauren didn't expect Michael to react the way he did. R&R as always.**


	55. Chapter 55

**AN: WARNING!****: From the end of the last chapter, I think you'll realise that Michael is a pretty wicked man... the next chapter (and the ones after too) will deal with some bad things... This is your warning... You may not like some of the things you are about to read... Sorry in advance**

Chapter Fifty-five

Lauren was certain he was gone. She'd counted to 1800 just to be safe. The same way you would when you're counting after lightning to see how far it was away. One, one elephant, two, two elephant. She thought she'd been there for about half an hour. She was certain he wasn't coming back. If he was, he would've been back by now. She'd been lying on the dirty floor, surrounded by her blood, her tears and her torn clothes.

She gingerly got to her feet, pulling her torn shirt around her. One of her shoes had come off in the struggle. She was in a lot of pain which she was wishing she could block. Her face was wet with a combination of tears and blood. She ached badly between her legs and she could feel something wet on her thighs but she didn't want to look to see what it was.

She climbed up the stairs towards the door, struggling to open it once she got there. Once she did, she stepped outside, taking a few steps before doubling over and throwing up in the gutter. Once she'd finished being sick, Lauren straightened up and walked aimlessly forwards, walking past R&R, the Chip Shop and the Bookies. All of them were closed. It was late, of course they would be closed.

She stumbled to the gardens, knowing she had to cross them to get to the house. Lauren stopped in her tracks. No she couldn't go there. Not after what he'd done to her.

Lauren wanted a drink so badly but knew there was nowhere open to get one. She didn't know what to do. She stopped in the middle of the gardens, thinking she felt something brush against her knee, she reached down and felt a wetness against her fingers, looking at them she saw they were red. She was bleeding. Lauren started to cry harder, just standing there in the middle of the gardens, she didn't know what to do or where to go. She heard some giggling and froze, wondering who it was. She heard them come towards the gardens. She tried to run back the way that she'd come but she was in a lot of pain and she couldn't get her legs to work how she wanted them to. She felt sick again, throwing up in the bin as the giggling got closer.

'Lauren!?' she heard Lucy's voice. 'Lauren what are you doing out here?' she heard the girls running over to her in their heels. 'Oh my god are you drunk?' Lucy asked her, the disgust clear in her voice. Lauren straightened up as Lucy turned to go. Whitney stared at her.

'She's not drunk' Whitney said as the two girl's eyes met. Whitney knew exactly what had happened to her without even asking 'Lucy call the police and an ambulance' she said to her.

'What…why?' Lucy frowned, turning and seeing Lauren for the first time, her eyes widened and filled with tears at the state of their friend.

'It's okay Lauren. You're okay….' Whitney said 'you're safe now' she said and she looked at Lucy who was frozen to the spot 'Lucy, make the phone call!' she hissed at her. Whitney looked around to see if there was anyone around 'Let's get you home' she said to Lauren.

'No! I can't go back there…Joey… ' Lauren started to crying harder

'Joey? Joey did this to you?' Whitney asked in shock.

'My fault' Lauren sobbed.

'We'll take her back to mine' Lucy said 'it's closer'

'Okay' Whitney nodded, putting her arm around Lauren and guiding her towards Lucy's. Lucy called the police and an ambulance as they walked to the house.

Once inside the house Lucy looked at her as she flicked on the kitchen light, 'Oh my god, Lauren!' she exclaimed, seeing her cut and bruised face. Seeing the tear in her lip that was oozing blood. The bruises around her neck that stood out starkly against her pale skin. She could clearly see that her clothes were barely clinging to her body. Most painful to look at was the way the blood was running down her legs. Lucy wanted to comfort her and try to stop her body from shaking the way she was but she wasn't sure she would get the good reception.

'What happened Lauren?' Whitney asked her 'Who did this?' she asked her, but Lauren couldn't speak.

The ambulance and police arrived a few minutes later. The noise of the sirens woke some of the neighbours and the other occupants of Lucy's house. Peter and Ian came downstairs as Lauren was being bundled into the back of the ambulance. 'I'll go with her' Whitney said to Lucy.

'Okay' Lucy nodded.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

The next few hours for Lauren were a blur. She was taken into a private room at the hospital.

Whitney stayed with her the whole time but Lauren might as well have been on her own as she was wrapped in a cocoon of numbness. She was photographed, examined and photographed some more. She was aware of the muffled voices of the people treating her, knowing they were reeling off her injuries to the policewoman who was in attendance but she wasn't listening to what they were saying… not wanting to hear what he'd done to her. When she was finally allowed to take a shower and clean-up, a nurse had to help her. Whitney was giving her statement to two police officer whilst Lauren was getting clean.

'We found her in the gardens of the square, she was throwing up in the bin… crying and shaking and I don't think it could have happened long before we found her…I suggested we take her home…and she freaked out'

'Where is home?'

'23 Albert Square' Whitney said.

'Anyone else live there?'

'Yes, Kat Moon and her son Tommy. Michael Moon and Alice and Joey Branning' she told them, 'Alice and Joey are her cousins and Joey…Joey's also her boyfriend' Whitney said to them.

'Okay…and did she give you any indication of who attacked her?'

Whitney chewed on her bottom lip. 'No not really I …..'

'Miss Dean any information you have may help towards our investigation' the male officer told her.

'If there is something you need to tell us…'

'Well, when I told her we would take her home, to number 23, she said seemed to be quite distressed about going back there, she mentioned Joey's name and I asked her if he did this to her and she said it was her fault'

'Joey Branning? Her boyfriend?' the female officer asked her.

'Yes' Whitney nodded 'but I don't think he did... I mean I know they've been fighting... I saw them have an argument in the Vic…. Our local pub and he was yelling at her, his fists were clenched down by his sides, the argument was pretty heated. She slapped him and walked out….…'

'Thank you Miss Dean, you've been very helpful' the officer said. Whitney nodded, a worried frown on her face. She watched as the two police officers moved away and spoke in whispered tones.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Whitney watched as Lauren was brought back to her room, she sat down gingerly on the bed. 'Miss Dean?' the nurse came over to her. 'We're going to be keeping Lauren in overnight' she told her 'is there anyone we need to call?' she asked her 'She's going to need some new clothes. The police have taken the ones she was wearing for evidence'

'Can I talk to her?' Whitney asked her

'The police are in with her at the moment' she told her. Whitney nodded and she sat down in a chair outside the room. She pulled out her phone and she scrolled through the numbers wondering who would be the best person to call.

'Miss Dean?' the female officer popped her head out of the room 'she's asking for you' she told her. Whitney followed her into the room, with a sigh. She'd call someone in a bit… maybe Lauren will tell her who she wants to come in.

Lauren's hair was still wet and she wearing a hospital gown. She looked up as Whitney came into the room, she looked terrified and confused. 'Lauren, it's okay' she said as she reached her friend.

'I need a drink' she whispered quietly.

Whitney knew she didn't mean water and she shook her head 'No, you don't' she told her 'Lauren, you can get through this I promise you. I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to be here with you every step of the way, okay?' she asked her. She turned to the Police 'has she told you what happened?'

'No. She keeps mentioning someone called Jim?' the male officer said with a frown.

'Jim is her grandfather, but he's in a nursing home. He had a stroke a few years back… she works in the gym, Basher Brannings, down Market Street' Whitney explained.

'Thank you, that's very helpful' the male officer said and he looked at Lauren 'Is that where you were attacked? In the gym?' he asked her.

Lauren looked at him, nodding her head 'yes' she whispered, he spoke into his walkie talkie giving the address of the gym to the officers who were currently in Albert Square.

**AN:- Poor Lauren. I hope that the Police can gather the evidence that they need to put Michael behind bars for what he had done to her. R&R as aways.**


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

Back in Walford, Joey rolled over in the bed, frowning as he reached for Lauren and found she wasn't there. He got out of bed and walked to the kitchen, finding it empty. He turned, making his way into the lounge, surprised to see Alice and Kat up looking out of the window.

'What are you doing up?' he asked them both.

'There's police all over the square' Alice said 'don't tell me you didn't hear the sirens' she turned to look at him 'what happened to you?' she said as she saw cuts and scratches on his cheek.

Joey had forgotten about the cuts on his face, 'Oh… er I had to throw a couple of drunken girls out of R&R when they had a fight. I got caught in the middle' he said to her. 'Is Lauren with you?'

'No' Alice frowned 'I thought she was with you' she said.

He shook his head 'She wasn't there when I got in, I assumed she'd gone to the bathroom, I just crashed' he told her. He joined them at the window and looked out.

'I wonder what's happened' Alice said quietly.

'I guess we'll find out in the morning' Joey said, licking his lips.

'Maybe Lauren's gone out for a run' Kat suggested.

'It wouldn't be the first time she's done that, when she can't sleep' Alice nodded in agreement.

Kat looked at him 'have you had these cleaned?' she asked him, gesturing to his face.

'No' he shook his head 'I was too tired to bother'

'Come on, I'll clean them up for you in the kitchen' she said to him.

As soon as the three of them got into the kitchen, they heard someone knock on the front door.

'See! That's probably Lauren, forgot her keys again I'll bet' Alice called as she walked to the front door. She was surprised to see two police officers on the doorstep.

'Can we speak with Joseph Branning, please?' one of them asked her.

'Yes, he's in the kitchen' Alice said 'does this have something to do with Lauren?' she asked them, a little concerned.

The officers exchanged looks as they followed Alice to the kitchen. 'Joey… there are police officers here to see you' she said to him. Joey looked up surprised.

'Mr Joseph Branning?' one of them asked him.

'Yes' he nodded and he frowned 'What is this about? Has something happened to Lauren?' he asked them 'Is she okay?

'I'm PC Williams, this is PC Johnson. Can I ask you how you got those scratches on your face, Mr Branning?' PC Williams asked.

'Got caught in the crossfire of a catfight in the R&R, the club where I work. One of the girls scratched me as I was throwing them out' he replied.

'Mr Branning, is there somewhere we can talk privately please? We have some questions we'd like to ask you'

'Questions about what?' Joey frowned.

'There has been a serious physical and sexual assault on the square tonight and your name has been mentioned in the course of our investigations. It's just routine questioning, sir' he replied.

'Who?' Alice asked.

'I'm sorry, we're not at liberty to divulge the name of the victim' PC Johnson told her.

'Mr Branning?' PC Williams said.

'Am I under arrest?' Joey asked them.

'No sir' the officer shook his head.

Joey nodded 'We can go in the lounge'

He got up and led the way to the lounge, the police officers saw scratch marks on his shoulders that disappeared underneath the material of the vest top he was wearing and glanced at each other meaningfully.

'Can I ask how you got those scratch marks on your back?' PC Johnson said.

'My girlfriend' Joey said matter-of-factly. 'So what did you want to ask me?' he asked as she sat down on the sofa.

'Where were you at approximately 1:30am?

'I'd just finished up in the club at 1:00am, so I would've been here, it's only a fifteen minute walk'

'Is there anyone who can confirm you were home?'

'No, everyone else was asleep' he told him.

'Who else lives in the house with you, sir?'

'Kat Moon and Michael Moon, and their son Tommy. My sister Alice and my girlfriend Lauren'

The two officers exchanged glances 'And where is Lauren now?'

'She's not here. Sometimes she goes out for a run when she can't sleep' Joey said to him 'we thought you were her coming back. Sometimes she forgets her keys, wakes the whole house up' he told them with a smile.

'So it's normal for Lauren to be out at this time of night' PC Johnson asked, making notes in his little black notebook.

'If she can't sleep, sometimes, yeah' Joey said, nodding his head 'she wasn't here when I got home and I assumed she had gone to the bathroom or gone out for a run'

'Didn't you try to call her to find out her whereabouts?'

'Her phone is still here, it's on the bedside table'

'You say you got the scratch marks on your cheek from an encounter with some drunk women at the club you work at?' Williams asked him.

'Yes. The bouncer, Roger, he saw everything' he told him. Joey frowned 'Has one of those girls made an allegation?' he asked the police officers 'because other than the fact they were both drunk and had a few chunks of hair missing from their catfight they were perfectly fine when they left the club… Roger would've put them both in a taxi' he explained.

Joey watched as the officers wrote down everything that he was saying in their notebooks.

'And you say the scratch marks on your back were given to you by your girlfriend, Lauren?' Williams asked him. Joey nodded. 'They look pretty recent. When did she do them?'

'This morning' Joey said frowning again 'why are you asking me questions about Lauren?' he grew worried.

One of the walkie talkies burst into life and PC Johnson responded, stepping out of the room. He came back a few moments later and he whispered in his colleague's ear.

'Mr Branning, do you own a pale blue hoodie with the words Gant on the front?' PC Williams asked him.

'Yes' Joey nodded 'I do. Lauren brought it for me'

'And where is that article of clothing now, sir?'

'It should be in my bedroom' he said to them

'Can we go and have a look?' Johnson asked him

Joey nodded and led them to his room. He flicked the light on and walked to the wardrobe and looked inside. 'It's not here' he said to him.

'When was the last time you wore it?'

'A couple of days ago, I went for a morning run with Lauren' he told them.

'Do you have any idea where the shirt is now?' Williams asked.

'No. Unless Lauren took it tonight' he said shrugging.

'Mr Branning, I think we need to continue this down at the station' PC Williams told him

'What? Why?' he frowned as one of the police officers blocked the door and the other moved to stand behind him.

'Joseph Branning, I am arresting on suspicion of serious sexual assault. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence'

Alice and Kat watched in disbelief as a stunned and confused Joey was led out of the house in handcuffs and put into the back of a police car. Michael chose that moment to venture down the stairs.

'What's going on?' he asked them.

'Joey's just been arrested' Kat said in disbelief.

'Arrested for what?' Michael frowned.

'They said someone was attacked in the square and they've arrested Joey, they think he did it' Alice sobbed loudly.

Michael smiled to himself. Two down one to go. He stared at Alice.

**AN: Oh no! Joey's been arrested! The police think he was the one who attacked Lauren! They say they have evidence that points towards him! Is it circumstantial evidence or has Michael been even badder than we thought! Let me know what you are thinking. R&R as always. **


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter Fifty-seven.**

When Joey got to the police station. His clothes were taken away from him and he was given a white jumpsuit to wear that zipped up at the front; that was after his face and back were photographed and his DNA was taken by a mouth swab. Joey was taken to an interview room, where he was un-cuffed, He was offered a duty solicitor but refused one.

Joey was getting impatient, waiting to be interviewed. But he knew banging on the door trying, to get some attention or even some answers, wasn't the best way to go. He'd earned an hour in the cells for that already. Now he was back in the interview room.

Waiting.

The door opened and two officers came in, a male and a female. They sat down silently and unwrapped a CD and put it into the recorder and pressed the record button.

The female officer spoke. 'Present are DI Waters and DI McQueen. It is 13 May 2013 and the time is 4:30am. Also present is...' she looked at Joey 'Please state your full name and address for the recording' she instructed him

'Joseph James Branning. 23 Albert Square, Walford' he said

'Mr Branning, can you tell us where you were between the hours of 1:00am and 2:00am, please'

'I've already told the police officers that came to my house' he frowned at her 'I was in the R&R …'

'The R&R?' DI waters questioned.

'The club where I work as a barman' he said 'I left at 1:00am, it's a fifteen minute walk back to the house so I would've been home at 1:15am' he told her

'And can anyone confirm what time you came in?'

'Everyone was already in bed' he told them 'I don't know if they heard me come in or not, you would have to ask them'

'And who lives in the house with you?'

'Kathleen Moon and her son Tommy. Michael Moon. My sister Alice Branning and my girlfriend Lauren Branning'

'Branning?' DI McQueen raised an eyebrow in interest. 'She has the same surname as you?'

'Yes. She's also my cousin' Joey told them both.

'And where was Miss Branning when you got home?'

'She wasn't in bed when I got there'

'Where was she?'

'I don't know, she could've been in the bathroom or she could've been out for a run' he said to them. 'Look, what is all this about?' he asked them.

'And does Miss Branning often go for a run in the early hours of the morning?' they ignored his question.

'Yes, sometimes, if she can't sleep and I'm working late at the club, she sometimes goes for a run and meet me when the club closes' he nodded his head.

'And what route does she take?'

'Late at night? She doesn't go far from the square, she might run round the square a few times, down Bridge street and Canal street, she may do a few circuits' he said to them.

'Did she meet you at the club tonight?'

'No' Joey shook his head 'I left, alone at 1:00am'

'And when Lauren goes for a run, what does she normally wear?'

'Jogging bottoms, t-shirt, shorts, sometimes a short running skirt, her trainers, sometimes she wears my clothes, my t-shirt or hoodies'

'Can you tell me how you got these scratches?' she asked him. She slid some photographs across the table to him 'I am showing Mr Branning Evidence Packs A11004 and B11005'

'The ones on my face came from a couple of girls I had to throw out of the club because they were drunk and having a catfight' Joey said 'One of them turned and scratched me'

'Did anyone witness this?' DI Waters asked him.

'Roger. He's a bouncer at the club, he helped me bundle the girls into a taxi. One of them took a swipe at him too'

'And where can we find Roger? Do you have his home address?'

'I don't socialise with him, we're work colleagues'

'And the marks on your back?' DI Waters reminded him. 'How did you get those?'

'My girlfriend'

'From your girlfriend? And that's Lauren Branning?'

'Yes, from Lauren Branning' he frowned at them both.

'And she did these when?'

'This morning' Joey replied 'When we were having sex'

DI Waters and DI McQueen exchanged glances. 'You say that sometimes Miss Branning wears your clothing when she goes out running?'

'Yes' he nodded, getting a little bit frustrated with the questioning.

'Is this yours, Mr Branning?' DI Waters placed a see through bag on the table. 'I am showing Mr Branning evidence pack C11006' she said. Joey looked at the pale blue hoodie in front of him, he saw the blood stains on it.

'Yes, this is mine' he nodded his head as he looked at it 'where did you find it? Has something happened to Lauren?' he frowned. His heart began to race as he began to fear the worst.

'Can you describe your relationship with Miss Branning, to us please?'

'What do you mean describe my relationship with Lauren? She's my girlfriend' Joey said

'Do you have arguments?'

'Every couple has arguments' he shrugged.

'We have an eye witness statement which states you had a very public and heated argument with Miss Branning a few days ago in the Queen Victoria Public House in Walford, which resulted in her slapping you across the face. Can you tell me what that argument was about?'

Joey took a deep breath and he swallowed. 'Michael Moon' Joey said 'we were arguing about Michael Moon'

'Michael Moon? The same Michael Moon who resides at the same address as you?' Di Waters asked 'Why were you arguing about Michael Moon?'

'He was taking advantage of her' he told them 'Being too familiar with her. She works for him at the gym'

'Being too familiar?'

'Making her work late, the way he speaks to her, treats her, sometimes the way he looks at her…she was only supposed to work part time, a few hours a week, but she was working practically full time. She has personal commitments she needs to keep on top of and he would make her work longer hours and she would miss those commitments. I wanted her to stop working there, to find another job with better hours that would enable her meet her commitments, I didn't want her to work for Michael Moon'

'Why?'

'I don't trust him' he replied 'I don't like him' Joey told them honestly.

'So you were jealous? About the amount of time he was spending with your girlfriend'

'No' Joey shook his head 'There was nothing going on between Lauren and Michael'

'Are you sure about that?'

'Yes I'm sure' Joey frowned.

'Maybe you found out there was more to their relationship than you thought, you got jealous and you reacted'

'There was nothing to be jealous about' Joey said 'Lauren and I talked this morning and she agreed she needed to quit her job at the gym. That was what she was doing today'

'And did she?'

'I don't know I was working at the R&R' he said.

'So you haven't spoken to her since this morning?'

'No' he shook his head.

'And is that normal?'

'Sometimes yeah' Joey nodded 'If we both have busy days'

DI Waters paused to write something down and then she looked up at Joey. 'You have a bit of a temper don't you, Mr Branning?' she asked him 'In fact that temper of yours got you locked in a cell for an hour earlier, didn't it?'

'What's your point?' he frowned.

'Have you ever lost your temper with Miss Branning?'

Joey blinked at her, uncertain of what she was asking 'If you're asking me if I've ever hit Lauren then the answer is no' he told her firmly, annoyed by the implication.

'Really? With a temper like yours?'

Joey sighed 'you would be a little angry too if you were woken up in the middle of the night, arrested and dragged down to the police station without knowing what for'

'Didn't the officers tell you there had been a serious sexual and physical assault tonight?'

'Yes, they did but that was all they would tell me' he said to her 'Look if it's the girls I threw out of the night club who've made these allegations, then Roger was there, he saw the whole thing and there are CCTV cameras outside the club. I never laid a finger on them'

'It wasn't the girls from the club' Di Waters said. She put her pen down and clasped her hands together 'Mr Branning, the young woman that was attacked has some very serious injuries and is very upset by her traumatic ordeal, but not too upset that she wasn't able to tell us who had attacked her' she said 'In fact she told a….' she paused and looked through her notes 'Whitney Dean, the person that attacked her was you'

Joey blinked 'I haven't attacked anyone' he told her shaking his head.

'I'm sorry Mr Branning. But that's not what our victim is saying'

'Then she's lying' Joey said with a frown 'I haven't attacked anyone'

'Joseph Branning, I'm charging you with the physical and sexual assault of Lauren Branning' DI Waters told him.

**AN: Joey's been charged with the assault on Lauren. They have witness statements and evidence that all points towards him. Even Lauren has said he was the one that attacked her… hasn't she?  
R&R as always .**


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-eight**

Joey was shell-shocked as he was taken down to the cells. He sat down on the thin plastic mattress. He couldn't think clearly. Lauren was the girl who'd been attacked, she was the girl who was hurt. She needed him. He'd promised her whenever she needed him, he would be there for her no matter what. Never in a million years did he think this would be a promise he couldn't keep.

He was unable to get to her.

He was in a prison cell.

He'd been arrested.

He'd been arrested for hurting her.

The police were telling him _SHE_ had told them he'd hurt her. That he raped her.

He frowned, there had to have been some sort of mistake.

No! He knew there had been a mistake.

Whilst he'd been asleep in their bed, someone had brutally and savagely attacked the woman he loved.

He made a vow that when he found out who it was he was going to kill him, well after beating seven shades of shit out of him first… then he was going to kill him.

**AN: Joey knows there has been a mistake, what he doesn't know is how he's been arrested and charged for something he clearly didn't do. This will all get cleared up in no time though, right? Lauren will make a statement and he'll be released and he can go to her. Be there for her, like he promised he would be. R&R as always **


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter fifty-nine.**

Lauren lay in her hospital bed, lying on her side, silent tears rolling down her face. The police had tried to talk to her but they weren't getting anywhere. All she kept saying was Joey's name over and over again, so the doctor told them to come back in the morning, telling them they were just distressing his patient even more.

Whitney was shown into the room, she looked up as Lucy came in behind her 'I couldn't sleep' Lucy explained 'she's my friend too'

Whitney nodded as they both walked round to Lauren. Now that the blood was gone, she somehow looked worse. Her lip was swollen and bruised, her right eye swollen shut and black, she had a scrape mark on her forehead as well as a deep laceration that had been covered with butterfly stitches. She had bruises around her throat, her wrists, on her jaw, which was also swollen. They both gasped in horror at the sight of her.

'Lauren…' Lucy whispered softly 'we're here' she said. Lauren blinked with her one good eye and she looked at them both 'Can we do anything? Can we call Max?'

'W..w…want….J…J..Joey' she stammered 'j.. w.. …..J..JJJoey'

Lucy and Whitney looked at each other 'I'll call him' Whitney said.

She took her phone out of her pocket and took a few steps away from them. She waited for his phone to be answered but it went to voicemail. She tried the landline. She turned and watched as Lucy helped Lauren drink some water, Lucy brushed the hair carefully away from Lauren's face, tucking her hair behind her ear with a gently smile.

'Hello Kat? It's Whitney' Whitney said as the landline was answered 'Listen….. Is Joey there?'

'No. He's not' Kat said bluntly.

'Can you find him, Lauren's in the hospital and she's asking for him' she told Kat.

'Lauren? Why is she in the hospital?' she asked her, frowning as she looked at Alice who was hovering nearby.

'She was attacked in the square tonight….. '

'Oh My God! Is she okay?' Kat exclaimed as the pieces fell together in her head.

'No. Not really, its bad Kat' Whitney said to her 'she's asking for Joey. She doesn't want anyone else. She just wants Joey. Can you find him, bring him here?' she asked her.

'I don't need to find him, I know where he is' Kat said 'I just can't get him' Whitney frowned, confused.

'What do you mean?' she asked.

'Two police officers came here a few hours ago. They arrested Joey, on suspicion of physical and sexual assault' Kat said softly.

Whitney gasped and she looked at Lucy. 'Oh my god!' she whispered.

**AN: Kat has realised it was Lauren who was attacked in the square. Whitney had found out that Joey has been arrested for attacking Lauren. Is Whitney going to tell Lauren what has happened? Thanks for all your reviews so far. So pleased you all seem to love revelry. Don't forget to keep sending in those reviews! For those who have been asking my twitter address is mandyjane444. R&R as always **


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter Sixty. **

**Day one - Lauren**

The night after the attack, Lauren lay in the hospital bed staring up at the ceiling. Visitors came and went, they talked to her, she said nothing in response. Her father had cried at her bedside whilst Lauren felt no emotion whatsoever. She just stared at the ceiling.

All she wanted was Joey. She wanted Joey to hold her. She wanted Joey to tell her everything would be okay. She wanted him to tell her they would get through this together. She wanted to hear Joey tell her he still loved her, that this wasn't her fault. She wanted everyone to stop talking to her, for the police to stop asking her questions. For people to stop whispering about her in the corner of the room. She wanted to scream, she wanted to scream at the top of her voice, to tell everyone to leave.

She wanted to ask why Joey hadn't been to see her. She wanted to know if he blamed her for what had happened to her. She wanted to ask so many questions.

But she couldn't. She couldn't speak. She couldn't scream. She couldn't move. She couldn't feel. She couldn't cry. So she just stared at the ceiling.

**AN: So no one has told Lauren what has happened to Joey. Do they believe he did this to her? She's confused as to why Joey isn't there, but she's too traumatised by what has happened to her that she cannot do anything. She just stares at the ceiling. How is Joey holding up in all of this? Who is helping him? R&R as always. **


	61. Chapter 61

**AN: So here is the first of two chapters tonight. There will be no more than two chapters... The following section of chapters are quite short but they need to be that way to give you insight. So enjoy them. **

**On another note, whilst we fanfiction writers enjoy writing these stories and we wouldn't be writing them if people didn't want to read them ... we do like to know what our readers think of these stories.. so please be kind and review... you don't even need to have an account you can review as a guest and it takes one minute! So please review. **

**Chapter Sixty one**

**Day One - Joey**

Joey had been moved from the cells at the police station to a prison just outside of Walford; where he was waiting to be tried for attacking Lauren. He was grateful he had a cell to himself, at least for the time being. He was lying on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. Thinking. Hoping. Waiting.

He was waiting for someone from the family to come and see him, tell him what was going on. He'd tried to call Max but he couldn't get an answer and it wasn't as though Max could call him back. He called Phil and left a message on his voicemail asking him to help him.

He tried calling home but there was no answer at the house either so he didn't even know how Lauren was, he was worried. Terrified even. The only thing that was giving him some comfort was he hadn't been charged with murder… which had to mean Lauren was still alive.

He was told he had a visitor coming to see him tomorrow. He hoped it was Max or Alice, maybe even Phil, someone who could tell him what the hell was going on. Tell him how Lauren was. The police had only told him her injuries were severe. He prayed that whoever came to see him, they would at least be able to answer some of the many questions he had. But the main one he needed answered, was how Lauren was. He sighed and closed his eyes, running his hands over his face, before opening his eyes again and resuming staring at the ceiling.

**AN: So Joey's not really faring much better than Lauren. In fact they're pretty much doing the same thing...I wonder who his visitor is. Will they give him the answers he wants or will they just want to yell at him for what he's been falsely accuse of doing? I am going to set you another challenge.. I have said that there are 2 chapters for tonight ...BUT unless you read and review SINS OF THE FATHER by 74 Crazychick and give her at least 12 reviews for her chapter tonight. YOU WILL NOT GET THE SECOND CHAPTER OF REVELRY TONIGHT! So you now what to do... Oh and I want at least 12 chapters for this chapter too. R&R as always.**


	62. Chapter 62

**AN: Well...aren't you all good! More than 12 reviews for me and more than 12 reviews for 74crazychick's SINS OF THE FATHER. So as promised...the second of the 2 chapters tonight. **

**Chapter Sixty-two**

**Day two - Lauren**

Lauren was being given a bed bath this morning, a female nurse had stripped her naked behind the curtains and had washed her bruised and battered body. Whilst she was doing it she was chattering on about the latest hair brained scheme her son had gotten involved in.

Lauren wanted to scream at her, tell her to shut up. She wanted to yell at her to stop touching her, to tell her to leave her alone. She didn't want to have a bed bath, she didn't want her dressings changed. She didn't care if she was still bleeding or not, she just wanted to be left alone.

She just wanted Joey.

She closed her eyes and drowned out the nurse. She removed her mind from the situation, from the feeling of unfamiliar hands touching her, touching her in places she didn't want to be touched.

She'd heard the doctors and nurses whispering outside her room, she heard them say that _He _had been caught and arrested. She didn't care about that, all she cared about as Joey. She didn't understand why he wasn't here. So she had resigned herself to the fact Joey wasn't coming to see her. It was obvious he blamed her for what had happened.

She was damaged goods now. Of course he wouldn't want her, and she didn't blame him.

The nurse left her and she opened her eyes with a sigh. She was wearing a clean nightshirt. Everything was clean, the sheets, her nightshirt, her skin. But inside… inside she knew she was dirty and she knew that feeling would never go away.

Lauren knew what would help, what would make her mind stop, she knew what she needed.

Vodka. She needed vodka.

She made herself a vow. The first thing she was going to do when she got of hospital was get drunk.

She knew the only thing that would stop her mind from replaying what had happened to her would be to drink as much as she possibly could, until she found oblivion.

**AN: Poor Lauren, she thinks she has been abandoned by Joey. All shehas left is the vodka. And she wants it badly. Let me know what you think so far…R&R as always **


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter Sixty-three. **

**Day two –Joey**

Joey was taken to the visitor's room, when the door was unlocked and he entered the room he saw his sister waiting for him.

'Joey' she called out and she stood as he got to the table and she hugged him tightly 'Are you okay?' she asked him 'Is there anything you need? Do you want me to call mum?'

'No, God! Don't call mum. You know what she's like, she'll only worry' Joey said shaking his head, he pulled away from her and sat down

'You're in prison, Joey' Alice said in amazement at his cavalier attitude 'of course she's going to worry'

'How is she? How's Lauren?' he asked her, eager to know how the woman he loved was.

'I don't know' Alice said, a little uncomfortably. Joey frowned at her 'I haven't been to see her' she said and she looked at him 'I didn't know what to say. You're in prison for…they say you were the one who attacked her' she almost whispered.

'I didn't do it, Alice' Joey told her 'I would never hurt her. You know that' he frowned at her 'you do…you do believe me, don't you?' he asked her, suddenly thinking that the one other person who knew him better than anyone else also doubted him.

'Of course, I do' she nodded her head 'but the police said they have a statement from Lauren saying it was you…' she said to him 'they're saying you beat and raped her'

'It wasn't me. I love her! I would never hurt her!' he snapped at her angrily, leaning forward towards her, angry she would doubt him. If his own sister didn't believe him then there was little hope of him getting a Court to believe him. The wardens stepped forward in warning, Joey sighed and sat back in his chair, any hope he'd previously had that this would be cleared up quickly; that people would realise what a momentous mistake this had been was fading fast.

'Then why would she say you did? I don't understand' she told him, shaking her head 'I didn't know if I should go, not with ….I wouldn't know what to say….Kat has been to see her' Alice replied 'she said she just stares at the ceiling. Not speaking to anyone' Alice told him 'Kat said…she said it's like Lauren's not really there… when you look into her eyes it's like Lauren's gone….that its just her body lying in the bed'

Joey didn't like the way that sounded and he grew even more concerned for Lauren. 'Alice, please… You have to go to see her, she's still your friend, your cousin….you have to try and get her to talk to you, to tell you who hurt her….. Please, I promise you, this, me being in here, it's all a mistake…please…I need to be with Lauren' he pleaded with her. Alice nodded her head in agreement. 'You need to tell Uncle Max too'

'Okay, okay I will go and see Lauren' she promised her brother 'and I will talk to Uncle Max'

'And I need to see Phil. Can you get Phil to come in?' he asked her.

'Yes of course' she agreed again

'When you see Lauren, tell her….…tell her I love her and I'll see her soon, okay?'

'Okay' she nodded her head as Joey got up.

'Wait! Where are you going?' Alice exclaimed.

'Back to my cell' he told her. 'Will you please go and do what I asked?'

'Joey….' She trailed off as she watched her brother walk away.

Joey got back into his cell and lay down on his bunk, closing his eyes. More than anything he wanted to be with Lauren. He wanted to tell her he was there for her. He needed to see her for himself not hear things third hand. She needed to hear him tell her he loved her and everything was going to be okay. He wished more than anything he could be with her. Because as much as she needed him, he needed her more.

**AN: Joey's visitor was Alice. She hasn't been to see Lauren because she doesn't know what to say to her. Hopefully she'll go now she's spoken to Joey and she can put Lauren out of her misery…and hopefully someone will get Joey out of prison soon ****it can never be good for someone that pretty to be in prison...****.R&R as always. Thank you 74Crazychick for the last line about Joey being too pretty for prison! Love you lots TB XXX So there is another chapter for tonight ...so you know what to do if you want it! **


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter Sixty-four**

**Day three - Lauren**

It was a bright, hot sunny day. Lauren was running on the beach in Devon, chasing Oscar. She could hear his giggles as she tried to catch him. He was running further and further away from her. In the distance she could see the sun had gone in and it was raining, she knew there was danger lurking there. She knew she had to catch Oscar before he reached that part of the beach. She tried to run faster, but instead, strangely, she found she ran slower.

The skies got darker and darker, she ran slower and slower, she looked down at her feet and instead of seeing sand like she expected, there was mud. The mud was making it almost impossible for her to run after her little brother. She frowned and looked up at Oscar. He was getting further and further out of sight. A speck in the distance. Out of fear and panic she doubled her efforts to get free from the mud, somehow she did. Looking down she saw she was back on sand again and any traces of mud on her feet had gone. She frowned, confused, because her feet should've been covered in mud and it didn't make sense that they weren't, she felt uneasy. Looking up she saw she was gaining on Oscar. Her confusion and unease was forgotten.

'OSCAR STOP! OSCAR!' she screamed out 'STOP! COME BACK TO ME! STOP!' The little boy stood still and turned to look at Lauren. When she reached him, she fell onto her knees and gathered her brother in her arms in a tight hug. 'Never run away from me again' she scolded him through her tears 'Oscar, you had me so scared, so worried' she scolded him firmly.

'But this is the best part….the chase' he said. Lauren frowned and pulled away to look at Oscar. Except Oscar wasn't Oscar anymore, he was Michael. 'This is what the past few months have been leading up to, the flirting, the long talks in the kitchen, the glances you have given me. You want this. You want me' his hands were moving all over her body, her clothes were blowing away in the wind.

'No' she shook her head 'Stop! Stop it! Please don't! I want Joey, not you!' she cried out.

'Say my name' he grunted 'Say my name!' he spat in her face.

'NO! JOEY! JOEY!' she screamed 'Help me please…. He's hurting me! JOEY! STOP!'

The nurses ran into her room, pulling out a syringe and sticking the needle into her arm.

Alice watched in horror as Lauren stopped flailing around in the bed and became still as the drugs kicked in. Alice stared at her cousin. She looked so small, so fragile lying there on the bed. The nurse left the room and for a moment Alice wasn't sure that anything had happened. It was only the sight of the tears rolling down Lauren's cheeks, convincing her it did.

**AN: Poor Lauren, she's gone to a "safe place" in her head but she's still reliving what Michael did to her. She still wants Joey but he's not there. Michael is still roaming free….what happens when she gets released from the hospital? R&R as always**


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter Sixty-five**

**Day Three – Joey**

Joey was taken to the visitor's room again. This time it was Phil who was sitting there waiting for him. Phil studied Joey as he walked over to him, he could see the toll of the last three days showing on the young man's face. He clearly hadn't been sleeping, and if the prison food was anything like Phil remembered he probably wasn't eating either.

'Phil. Thanks for coming' Joey said sitting down 'Have you seen Lauren? How is she?' he asked eager for some news.

'She's not good Joey' he told her 'I'm not going to lie to you, Alice went to see her yesterday, she was leaving just as I came in; your sister was in pieces. Lauren had to be sedated, she was shouting and screaming, thrashing around on the bed… Alice thinks she was dreaming about the attack, reliving it'

Joey looked him in the eyes and held his gaze 'I didn't do it' he told him 'I didn't attack Lauren. I love her, she's my world Phil. I would never, ever hurt her. I watched Derek beating on my mother … I would never do that …'

'I know. Joey' he nodded his head 'but it's not me you need to convince, is it? And that's not what the police think. My brief has been looking through the evidence they have against you…'

'There's no evidence, it's just circumstantial evidence. I was in bed asleep' Joey interrupted him. 'While Lauren was getting attacked…' he trailed off brokenly '…..I was asleep' Phil watched as tears rolled down his cheeks.

'We'll get you out of here, Joey' he told him softly 'don't worry' he promised the broken young man in front of him, he reached out and put his hand on top of his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

**AN: Poor Joey. All he wants is to be with Lauren. He feels guilty that when Lauren was being attacked he was asleep. She needed him and he was sleeping. Phil has got his brief involved, hopefully Joey will be out of prison soon, right? R&R as always. **


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter Sixty-six.**

**Day Five –Lauren**

Lauren was released from the hospital, five days after she was admitted.

She was sore all over on the outside, but on the inside she was numb. She felt nothing. Kat was with her when the doctors were giving her instructions on how to care for her wounds. She wasn't listening to what they were telling her, she didn't care what they were telling her. All she could think about was how badly she wanted a drink.

Max had wanted her to move back to the house and he had argued with Kat about it, bringing the topic up again when Lauren was being released, but Lauren had other ideas. If she went back to the house he would watch her like a hawk and then she wouldn't be able to get a drink. Lauren told him in no uncertain terms in one word that she wasn't going back to the house. That was the only other word Lauren had uttered in the five days she had been in hospital.

'NO!'

Max relented and let her go back with Kat, only after getting her to agree not to tell her what had happened to Joey. He was certain his nephew had nothing to do with attacking Lauren and had spoken to Phil about it. Phil had told him his brief was looking into Joey's case, trying to find some holes in the evidence and the many witness statements they had taken, trying to get the charges dropped. Max wasn't sure Lauren would be able to cope with the news Joey had been arrested and charged with what had happened to her, Kat had agreed. Whilst they were driving home, Kat told her it was only her and Alice in the house. Lauren said a third word.

'Michael'

Kat told her she didn't need to worry about Michael, but she didn't elaborate and Lauren was okay with that. She hoped he was rotting in a jail cell somewhere. She wanted to know where Joey was but was afraid of the answer so she didn't ask. She would wait until they got back to the house and see if he was there. Maybe Alice and Kat would tell her where he was then.

Max pulled up outside number 23 and after gingerly helping his daughter from the car, he carried Lauren's bags into the house.

'Are you sure you don't want to come home, darling?' Max asked Lauren. She shook her head 'Well, if you change your mind, you call me, okay?' he asked her. Lauren looked at him, devoid of any emotion and nodded.

Kat shut the door behind him and Lauren let out a sigh of relief. She walked into the lounge and looked at the cabinet where she knew Michael kept scotch. She could almost taste it. The bitter taste, the burn as it went down her throat. She wanted it, she needed it. She craved it. But she knew whilst Kat and Alice were watching her, there was no way she was going to be able to get her hands on the bottle. So, instead she walked towards the room she shared with Joey.

'We made up Alice's room for you' Kat said 'Alice was going to sleep in Jo…that room'

Silently, Lauren walked inside and closed the door behind her. She sat down and took off her shoes and climbed into the bed pulling the duvet over her so it almost covered her head. She pulled Joey's pillow close and inhaled his scent. The tears began to fall. Kat and Alice exchanged worried glances as they listened to Lauren's sobs through the walls.

**AN: Lauren is back where she wanted to be. But Joey's nowhere to be seen and Max doesn't want her to know what has happened to him in case it upsets her further. Poor Joey and poor Lauren. And where is Michael in all this how come he hasn't been arrested yet? R&R as always. **


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter Sixty-seven**

**Day Five – Joey **

Phil and Max were waiting for Joey in the visiting room. The two men frowned when they saw the young man walking gingerly to the table, before sitting down with a grimace.

'What happened to you?' Max asked him pointing towards his cut eyebrow and black eye.

'I fell' Joey said 'My cell is too cramped'

'Let me guess, you've got a new cell mate and you didn't hit it off?' Phil asked him knowingly.

Joey frowned 'How did you know?'

'Well, I've been in prison once or twice myself and the bloke that's just come in behind you is giving you the evils' he replied, nodding his head behind Joey. Joey turned to look and a stab of pain shot through his ribs. Phil saw him flinch and when he turned round his face was pale. 'You seen the doctor?'

Joey shook his head 'I've had worse' he told him.

Max and Phil both knew he was talking about Derek, Lauren had told her dad what the man had done to him as a child and to his mother. 'Lauren was released today' Max said 'I helped her back into yours' Joey nodded

'I didn't do anything Max' Joey told him, unable to stop the tears from flooding his eyes as he thought about what Lauren was going through, 'I would never….' Joey trailed off.

'I know, son' Max said softly, nodding his head, 'we haven't told Lauren you've been charged... she's in a terrible state as it is…..' he trailed off. Joey just nodded his head.

'Mum's coming up.' Phil said 'she wants to see Lauren and you, see if there was anything she can do. You know how fond of the both of you she is' he looked at Joey 'so what did the brief say?'

'That the evidence and many witness statements the Police have, points to me, we had that fight in the Vic which apparently everyone and their dog witnessed' he said with a sigh 'I want to see her. I want to see Lauren…I don't understand why she would do this to me' he frowned and he looked at Max. 'What did she say to you? Did she tell you why?'

'She hasn't said anything Joey. She's not talking to anyone' Max shook his head. 'We've all tried but she…..she stares into space….' Joey could see the concern on his uncle's face.

'Joey' Phil said softly 'we don't know that Lauren has done anything, after an attack like that her head is going to be all over the place…. Look, maybe now she's out of hospital, she'll be able to come and see you'

'Joey shook his head 'The brief said I'm not allowed to see her, she's the victim of the crime I'm in prison for' he explained 'If I saw her it could be construed as me trying to bully Lauren into changing her statement' he told him sadly 'And I don't want her to see me in here, not like this' he looked down at his hands.

'You know my brief told me that the police haven't got a signed statement from Lauren. All they've got are a few jumbled words she said just after she was taken to the hospital. But afterwards, she was too upset to do it, then she was sedated while her mind processed what had happened. Started healing itself. All the police have is circumstantial evidence and yes, it does point to you, but Lauren hasn't made a statement one way or another to say it was you who attacked her' he told him 'I'm going to go round and see her after I leave here, see how she's doing' he said and took a deep breath 'Look Joey, I want you to be prepared …. After what she has been through, she is going to be in a really dark, bad place, and the first thing that she is going to want to do is to get a drink…..' he told him.

'No, she wouldn't' he said, shaking his head.

'She's going to want to drink' Phil repeated knowingly. Max frowned and looked at Phil, a worried expression on his face.

'Then you have to go. Help her. Stop her' Joey told him 'She can't lose what she's already worked so hard to achieve'

'I will, don't worry' he told him 'Just keep your head down and we'll have you out of here soon, okay?'

'Okay' Joey nodded 'Thanks… for everything you are doing … for me… for Lauren' he told him softly.

'You're welcome' he said gruffly.

**AN: So Max has finally been to see Joey and explained things from Lauren's end a little. Phil's brief is still working through the evidence and the fact Lauren hasn't actually signed a statement stating Joey was the one who attacked her has to be grounds for getting the charges dropped now right? So Joey should be getting out of prison soon…. But then what about Michael? Where is he? When he is the one who should be in prison? R&R as always**


	68. Chapter 68

**Chapter Sixty-eight. **

For the next three days, Lauren only ventured out of the bedroom to use the bathroom. She was wearing the same set of clothes she had pulled on when she first got back to the house, a pair of Joey's sweatpants and one of his t-shirts. She didn't eat and didn't drink anything, (except for the occasional glass of water). What was the point? She wasn't hungry or thirsty… well that wasn't strictly true, there was one thing she was thirsty for.

Kat and Alice always made sure she wasn't left alone in the house. She had managed to get to the scotch on her first night home, Alice had set up a bed on the sofa in case Lauren needed anything during the night. Lauren had crept in the room and taken the bottle out of the cupboard without Alice even stirring. She took the bottle back to the bedroom and spent the whole night holding it.

Staring at it.

Wanting so badly to drink it but being afraid to.

On the fourth day, she was lying in the bed and she could hear voices. Lauren frowned as she listened to the conversation 'No I'm sorry, she's not up to visitors. She's only just out of the hospital' she heard Kat say.

'I'm sure she'll want to see me, darling, I've come a long way'

Lauren frowned. She knew that voice. She climbed out of the bed, ignoring the wave of dizziness as she went from lying down to standing upright a little too quickly. Opening the bedroom door she stepped out. Peggy saw her over Kat's shoulder and she fixed a big smile on her face.

'Hello darling, feel up to a visit?' she asked her.

Lauren nodded and went back into the bedroom. She came out moments later with Joey's robe wrapped around her and walked into the lounge. Peggy followed her and they sat down together on the sofa.

'I'll make some tea, hey?' Kat said, poking her head round the door.

Lauren didn't reply 'That would be nice. Thank you, Kat' Peggy said to her, Kat nodded and closed the lounge door to give the two of them some privacy. Peggy turned to look at Lauren. 'Oh my poor darling, look at you. Your pretty face, all beaten and swollen' Lauren looked down at her hands as a tear rolled down her cheek. Peggy took her hands in her own and squeezed gently 'I'm so sorry this happened to you, Lauren' she told her quietly.

'My fault' Lauren whispered.

Peggy shook her head 'No Lauren, No. It wasn't your fault. You mustn't think like that' she told her 'No woman deserves this'

Lauren looked up at Peggy and licked her lips taking a deep breath 'I upset him…earlier in the day…. I said some terrible things to him, about how he repulsed me and how if he was the last man on earth I wouldn't even give him a second chance. I told him he made my skin crawl…..' Lauren trailed off 'he said I'd been flirting with him, leading him on, that I wanted this' she frowned as she remembered 'I walked past the gym and saw the door was open… I thought maybe someone had broken in…was robbing it or vandalising it…so I went inside, I saw a light on in the office and that's when I saw him. I knew he'd been drinking….. he was drunk, he offered me some scotch and I said no…. I could smell the scotch as soon as I walked into the office and when I turned to leave, he grabbed me and kissed me. I pushed him away, slapping his face, and he hit me. I think I hit my head on the doorframe' she said, reaching up and touching the cut on her forehead lightly with her fingers, 'I think … I think I must've been knocked out, the next thing I know I'm lying on the floor and he's on top of me, he's hurting me …..' she trailed off, staring into the distance.

'It's okay, you don't have relive it all' Peggy said softly shaking her head 'you're safe now' she told her 'He can't hurt you anymore darling'

Lauren looked at her 'He didn't come to see me… when I was in the hospital'

'Who didn't?' Peggy asked, her with a frown

'He blames me too. He thinks it was my fault. I got what I deserved' she frowned 'he told me _he_ was bad news. He wasn't happy I started working there in the first place. He told me to quit weeks ago' Lauren sniffed 'he was right…. I should've listened to him… I just want to see him to tell him I'm sorry…. No one will tell me where he is' she whispered.

'Lauren, darling, you're not making sense, where who is?'

'Joey… I just want Joey' Lauren said as the tears flowed freely. 'I thought … I thought he'd be here….I was worried _he_ might've done something to him…. He was angry at Joey ….at me….I don't understand where he is…..Why won't anyone tell me where he is?'

Peggy took the young woman into her arms, closing her eyes 'I'm so sorry, darling, I didn't know that you didn't know…. Joey's in prison'

Lauren hiccupped and pulled back to look at Peggy 'Prison? Why, what he do?' she asked her 'Tell me he didn't go after him' Lauren pleaded, her face panicked 'please tell me he didn't do something stupid.'

'Go after who?' Peggy asked her as Kat opened the door.

'Michael' Lauren said to Peggy. 'Did Joey go after Michael? Did he kill Michael?'

'Michael's fine' Kat said 'He's staying over the Vic for a few days, but he said he would come over and see you a bit later today' Kat told her softly ' He brought you those flowers on the window' she smiled at Lauren as she put the tray of tea on the table. Lauren turned and looked at the pink roses in the vase in the windowsill. She got up and walked across the room, she picked up the card with a shaking hand.

"Feel better soon, Love Michael x" she read. She scrunched the card up in her hand and swept the vase off the windowsill, it hit the TV cabinet and shattered, her reaction surprising both Peggy and Kat.

'He's not in prison? Lauren asked as her face paled considerably 'the … the police told me they'd arrested and charged ….' She trailed off as she realised what must've happened. Joey was in prison because they thought he'd been the one who'd attacked her. She frowned racking her brains trying to think if she'd told the police who'd attacked her. If she'd told them Joey had attacked her.

Peggy frowned 'Are you telling us that…Michael did this to you?' she asked her, Kat's eyes filled with tears and she pressed her hand over her mouth as Lauren nodded her head once.

'Yes' she looked at Peggy and then at Kat 'Michael is the one who attacked me' she looked down, feeling ashamed suddenly. Lauren blinked, struggling to take in all the information. 'So….so Michael is still out there...' her eyes darted to the window, as if she expected to see him out there.

Peggy looked at Kat. 'Put the deadlock on the door, lock the kitchen door and call the police' Peggy told her firmly.

'Alice….' Lauren whispered.

'I'll call Alice, get her back to the house, I'll let Janine know too' Kat said.

Lauren sat on the sofa in shock, sipping her far too sweet tea as Peggy and Kat made numerous phone calls. She'd thought Joey hated her and that was the reason why he hadn't come to see her. But the real reason he hadn't been to see her was because he couldn't. Because he was in prison. He was in prison because the police thought he'd been the one that brutally attacked and raped her.

If he didn't hate her then…..surely he must hate her now.

**AN: Peggy has finally answered the question no one would else would. Poor Lauren, imagine how terrible she's feeling right now. Is she right to think Joey hates her now? Does he? He's been in prison for nearly 10 days, for something he didn't do. In that short space of time has he begun to hate Lauren for what has happened to him? R&R as always. **


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter Sixty-nine**

Phil was surprised to find a police car outside number 23. He walked up the path and rang the doorbell.

'Who is it?' Kat called from inside.

'Phil Mitchell' Phil called back. He heard the door being unlocked and then it swung open. 'What's the old bill doing here?' he asked her, stepping inside the house, Kat peered around outside quickly, before shutting the door and putting the deadbolt back on again.

'Lauren's giving a statement' Kat said as she closed and locked the door behind him 'Peggy's in there with her. Alice and Max are in the kitchen'

Phil followed her into the kitchen. Alice looked at him 'Have you been to see Joey?' she asked him

'Yeah. I've just come back from the prison' Phil nodded, exchanging glances with Max.

'How is he?' Alice asked him quietly, feeling guilty she hadn't been back to see him since Lauren had come home.

'He's holding up, but it would be nice if you paid him another visit' Phil told her 'He needs to see a friendly face' he said and he looked at Max again 'He's asking to see you again too'

Max nodded his head, opening his mouth to speak just as Peggy entered the room. 'Well, hopefully he won't be in that place for much longer' Peggy said from the doorway 'Lauren's finished making her statement' she told them 'She's gone back into her room'

'What did she say?' Max asked her 'Who was it?'

'It was Michael' Peggy told him 'Michael attacked her. They're on their way over to the Vic to arrest him now. She had no idea Joey had been arrested and charged, she's really upset.'

'That's my fault, I didn't want her getting upset when she realised what had happened….she's been through enough already' Max defended his decision.

'I'll call my brief' Phil said, pulling out his mobile.

**AN: FINALLY! Michael is going to be arrested for attacking Lauren and Joey will be released. Things between Lauren and Joey are going to be okay now, right? R&R as always Thank you for all your reviews…they mean so much! Back tomorrow x **


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter Seventy**

Joey had to spend another 24 hours in prison while his release was processed. After more than 10 days in prison he was finally going to be released, he was going to be reunited with Lauren.

Unbeknownst to Joey, the day he was due to be released, Lauren spent the morning packing up her things, thinking Joey wouldn't want her there when he got home. She knew there was nothing she could do to make things up to him, this was something they wouldn't be able to overcome. She hadn't wanted to move back in with her dad so Phil had offered her a room at his for a few weeks. She piled the last of her bags by the bedroom door and waited for her dad to call Alice and tell her Joey had been released.

Lauren walked up to the bathroom, making sure she hadn't left anything there. She caught sight of her face in the mirror. It had been more than 10 days since she was attacked and her face, although it wasn't as swollen as it had been, still looked pretty gross. The bruising had really come out now and some of it had started to turn a yellowy green colour, other parts were still purple or black. Her left eye was still swollen but she could now open her eye a little. From what she could manage to see, the white of her eye was still bright red. The bruises on her neck were still prominent too. She heard a door open downstairs, Phil was here. She used the bathroom and after washing her hands, she made her way down the stairs. She heard hushed voices coming from the lounge. Lauren pushed the door open when she heard Alice's talking to someone.

'Alice?' she asked softly.

'Hey' Alice smiled at her 'There's someone here who wants to see you' she told her.

Lauren frowned, shaking her head and walked to the bedroom and went inside closing the door behind her. Alice sighed, following her. She knocked gently and opened the door 'I told you not to call my mother' Lauren hissed at her 'I really can't deal with her right now Alice, please just get rid of her'

Alice rolled her eyes 'Will you please just come into the lounge?' she asked her.

'I don't want to see my mother!'

'It's not Auntie Tan, Lauren' Alice told her.

Lauren took a breath as she got up, reluctantly trailing behind Alice to the lounge, stepping into the room. She closed her eyes bracing herself as she waited for the shocked gasps from her mother.

When she didn't hear them she opened her eyes and instead of seeing her mother standing there as she expected, she saw Joey.

**AN: Lauren planned to be out of the house before Joey got back. What's going to happen now? Is Joey going to be angry with Lauren? Read on to find out. R&R as always.**


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter Seventy-One**

Lauren blinked at him. He was back. Joey was here, standing right in front of her and she had so much she wanted to say to him, but nothing would come out of her mouth. Joey looked at her, drinking her in, his eyes settled on her face. He wanted to rush across the room and hug her tightly but wasn't sure he should or if she would let him. Lauren looked at the fading bruises on Joey's face and wondered what happened to him, who'd hurt him, As Joey watched her he could see the emotions playing across her face, tears forming in her eyes. His own eyes filled with tears as he looked at her ravaged face.

'I'm sorry' she whispered 'I didn't know…' she shook her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks 'I'm so sorry, Joey…' she sobbed.

'I know, babe, I know' he nodded 'It's okay' he whispered.

She shook her head 'It's not okay' she sobbed harder. She turned to look at Alice accusingly 'why did you do this? You knew I wanted to be gone when ….' She trailed off 'I'd better call Phil' she said and fled the room. They heard the bedroom door close.

Joey frowned 'she's moving out?' he asked his sister.

Alice nodded 'She thought…she thinks you hate her Joey, for being the reason you were arrested, being in prison' she told him 'she thinks you wouldn't want her here when you came back. We've tried talking to her but she won't listen…..'

Joey nodded and walked to the bedroom. Taking a deep breath and opening the door, stepping inside. He saw her standing by the window, looking out. He knew she was crying by the movement of her shoulders. 'Hey' he said softly 'Alice tells me you're moving out?' he asked her. She nodded, 'are you going back to your dad's?' he asked her.

'Ph…Phil's' she hiccupped.

Joey noticed her pile of bags by the door 'Judging by the bags you're going for more than a few days' he said. Lauren couldn't answer him. 'Babe look at me' he said softly. She closed her eyes, lowering her head. Joey crossed the room, standing behind her, 'please?' he murmured. She shook her head and Joey sighed 'What happened wasn't your fault' he told her softly. 'The police had evidence that pointed to me. I'm not angry with you' he took a breath 'I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me' he told her. Lauren turned around, surprised to hear Joey apologising to her. Joey's eyes scanned her face, taking in her various injuries. She felt ashamed and looked down again. 'Don't' he said softly. He reached out carefully and cupped her chin gently with his fingers, lifting her head so she was looking at him again. Tears fell from her eyes at the tenderness he was showing her. 'Come here' he held open his arms and she hesitated for a split second before moving into them, finally feeling a sense of peace that she'd been searching for since the attack. He was careful of any other injuries that she might have. Lauren clung on to him tightly and his ribs protested, she felt him flinch and pulled away instantly, looking at him questioningly.

Joey decided not to lie to her 'I had a bit of a disagreement with my cell mate' he told her 'he was expecting a room for one' he joked lightly 'wasn't happy when he found out he was sharing'

'Joey I didn't know' she shook her head 'No-one told me you'd been arrested… I thought you were angry with me because of what happened' she said to him 'I thought you thought it was my fault… because you warned me and I didn't listen I ….. all of this ….it's all my fault' she told him brokenly.

'No babe' he shook his head 'It wasn't your fault, please don't think that …..I'm not angry with you, so you don't need to worry about that now, do you, hey? We're together again' he told her softly 'that's all that matters' he pulled her back into his arms gently 'don't move out babe. I don't want that' he told her 'I want you to stay' Lauren closed her eyes.

'I want to stay too, I just thought you wouldn't want me here after everything…' she trailed off.

'Of course I want you to stay. I love you, Lauren'

'I love you too, Joey' she said sobbing hard against his chest.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Sometime later Alice went to check on them. She pushed their bedroom door open and found them both asleep on the bed. Lauren was wrapped protectively in Joey's arms. She could see both of them had been crying. She closed the door quietly and went back into the lounge.

Kat came back and popped her head into the lounge surprised to find Alice there alone. 'Where are they?'

'They're asleep' Alice said 'Where's Tommy?' she frowned, noticing she didn't have him with her.

'I talked to Alfie and we think it would be better for him to stay there for a while, you now, after the last few nights' Kat said. Alice nodded in understanding 'You hungry?'

'Yeah. I thought about cooking but then I thought about Chinese….' Alice trailed off

'Chinese sounds great. I'll order. Why don't you go and wake those two up?' she asked her.

Maybe we should let them sleep' Alice said, reluctant to disturb them.

'They need to eat. Lauren's eaten half a slice of toast and possibly a red M&M since being released from hospital' she replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Fifteen minutes later Lauren and Joey were awake. Lauren had gone to the bathroom before joining the others in the lounge, some 20 minutes later. Kat and Alice exchanged a glance knowing that she'd taken another shower.

'You look a little better now you've had some sleep' Kat said to her as Lauren sat down next to Joey 'No nightmares this time'

'No' Lauren said quietly.

She jumped when the delivery man knocked on the door. 'I'll go' Kat said.

'I'll get plates' Alice said, leaving Joey and Lauren alone.

'We'll be okay, babe' Joey told her softly 'You and me together, we can get through anything, can't we, hey?' he asked her.

'Yeah' she smiled but he noticed it didn't reach her eyes.

When the food was served up Joey ate as though he had been starved for days. 'Slow down, Joey. You'll make yourself sick' Alice scolded him.

'Yeah, well prison food isn't that great' he told her. Lauren's fork hit her plate noisily. She put the plate on the coffee table and stood up.

'I'm sorry, I'm not hungry' she whispered, leaving the room and returning to the bedroom. Joey frowned as he looked at her plate and realised she hadn't eaten anything. He looked at Alice and then at Kat questioningly.

'She feels guilty, Joey' Kat said 'We didn't tell her you'd been arrested because she was barely coping with what'd happened to her, and …we didn't know what to do for the best...we didn't want to add to things' she told him 'She's hardly eaten anything since she was released from hospital' they heard the bedroom door open and then the door to the bathroom open and close again.

'She showers about 10 times a day….she hasn't changed her clothes since she got here, she even sleeps in them.' Alice said 'she spends most of her time in the bedroom. She hadn't talked to anyone since she came out of hospital. Until Peggy showed up and well… now she's talking'

'She's not eating?' he asked them.

'Barely' Kat said 'I've got Tommy's staying over at Alfie's because Lauren's been waking up in the middle of the night screaming the place down, and the poor little mite was terrified' she told him 'we don't know what to do, Joey' she said 'Even Max and Phil can't get her to talk, not really talk'

'She'll talk to me' he said softly. He licked his lips 'has she been drinking?' he asked casually

'We cleared all the alcohol out of the house and she hasn't set foot outside since she came back' Alice told him 'so no, she's not drinking'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren came out of the bathroom, dressed in her oversized jogging bottoms and long sleeved shirt. She let herself into the bedroom, ran a brush through her hair and plaited it. She lay down on the bed, silent tears running down her cheeks.

A few minutes later the bedroom door opened and the smell of scrambled eggs filled her senses. Her mouth watered. Joey came in, flicking on the bedside light. He climbed onto the bed beside her. 'You have to eat babe' he told her 'come on sit up' Lauren did what he asked. He picked up a forkful of eggs and held the fork to her lips. She opened her mouth and he put the food inside. Lauren managed to eat half the scrambled eggs, Joey was pleased she had eaten that much. 'Feel better?' he asked her softly.

'Yes, thank you' she nodded.

'Let me get rid of this and I'll make us some coffee' he told her. Five minutes later Joey was back in the bedroom. 'You know you can talk to me don't you?' he asked her. She nodded her head. 'Whatever it is you need to tell me, you can. Whenever you're ready, whenever you want to' Lauren nodded and turned away from him, laying back down on the bed.

'I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll come to bed' he told her 'Are you okay with me sleeping in here with you?' he asked her.

'Yes' she whispered softly.

'Okay, I'll be back soon'

**AN: Joey's back home and Lauren has agreed to stay. He's not angry or upset with her. I wonder what's going to happen next? Is she going to open up to Joey? Than you for all your reviews I'm so pleased that you like this story! There will be no more chapters tonight...so if you want ****something to read then go and check out** crazychick's SINS OF THE FATHER! It's awesome! R&R as always.


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter Seventy-two**

Joey woke at 7:00am and rolled over in the bed, surprised to find Lauren wasn't there. He climbed out of bed and padded barefoot through to the kitchen, Lauren was sitting on the floor by the back door, hugging her knees to her chest.

'Babe, what are you doing down there?' he asked her. She gave a tiny cry of surprise. Joey held up his hands 'It's just me' he told her. He could see the tear tracks on her face. Sighing he sat down beside her, careful not to touch her, 'It's freezing in here. Why don't you come back to bed?' Joey suggested. Lauren swallowed and picked up the scotch bottle from the floor beside her. Joey held his breath, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

'I haven't drunk any' she told him 'I stole it from the cabinet before they cleaned the alcohol out of the house' she licked her lips 'Alice is a really heavy sleeper' she added in explanation.

'What do you want to do with it?' he asked her.

'Drink it' she told him honestly 'I want to drink it so badly'

'You and me both, babe' he admitted to her and she looked at him in surprise 'what do you think we should do?'

'I can't.' she said softly '…If I start drinking it, I won't stop. I don't want to be that girl again… I can't be that girl again' she said, shaking her head. She stood up and walked to the sink and uncorked the bottle. Joey watched her from his sitting position on the floor as she raised the bottle to her lips. His heart stopped for a few seconds as he thought she was going to drink. He breathed out in relief when all she did was inhale the scent and then tipped the bottle. The amber liquid dribbled into the sink. Joey felt his heart swell with pride at her actions. He stood up when he saw her wavering, walking up behind her.

'You can do this, Lauren' he encouraged her 'you don't need this. You've got me. I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere' she nodded her head and with a shaking hand poured the remaining scotch down the sink. When it was empty, she put the bottle on the draining board.

'I'm so proud of you right now, babe. Do you know that?' he asked her 'Proud of how strong you are' She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning around to look at him. She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist gently, laying her head on his chest, Joey's arms moved around her and he kissed the top of her head softly.

'I don't feel very strong right now' she told him 'even though I poured that scotch away it doesn't mean I don't still want it'

'I know' he nodded his head understanding her more now than he ever had before.

'But I want you more' she told him softly as she raised her head to look at him, tears in her eyes 'are we going to be okay, Joey?' she asked him. He could see the fear of his response in her eyes.

'Yes' Joey replied without hesitation 'we're going to be fine, better than fine' he held her gaze 'I know you've been through something horrific and violent, and I know that right now you have no idea how to move forward, how you are going be you again' his thumbs wiped away the tears that escaped from her eyes, 'I'll be here, however long it takes, okay?' he asked her. She nodded her head 'So let's go back to bed, get you warmed up a little, hey?'

'Okay' she said.

Joey led Lauren back into the bedroom, pulling the duvet back from the bed. She climbed in and he covered her and then climbed in beside her. 'Do want a hug?' he asked her.

'Yes' she said quickly. She moved into his arms and he kissed her forehead.

'Is this okay?' he questioned.

'Yes' she said, her voice barely a whisper.

'I've been thinking, maybe we could both use a change of scene' he said to her 'We could go away for a while, just you and me. For a couple of weeks or so'

'Where?' she asked him.

'Wherever you want' he replied 'you don't have to decide now, think about it' he kissed her forehead again. A few moments later Lauren had fallen asleep. Joey stayed with her for an hour and then got up, grabbing his cell phone and creeping out of the room so he didn't wake her. Once he was in the hallway, he called Phil.

'Joey, is everything okay?' Phil asked him.

'Yeah…no… not really' he told him 'Does your brief still have Lauren's file?'

'Yes. Why?' Phil frowned, wondering why Joey wanted to know.

'I want to see it' Joey said 'I want to know what he did to her'

'Joey I'm not sure that's a good idea…'

'I need to know, Phil. I don't want to force Lauren to tell me, to make her to relive it. I need to know'

Phil let out a deep breath 'Alright, I'll call you when I've got it' he told him.

'Thanks Phil' he said hanging up.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour later, Joey made Lauren scrambled eggs for breakfast. He coaxed her into the kitchen to eat, and like yesterday she ate half. She returned to the bedroom while Joey cleaned up. When he checked on her, he discovered she was asleep again. His mobile rang, glancing at the screen he saw it was Phil calling. He closed the bedroom door and after a quick conversation, he called Alice at Janine's. Five minutes later Alice and Scarlett were at number 23 and Joey went over to see Phil.

**AN: Is Phil going to give Joey the file? And if he does is Joey going to like what he sees and reads? Will Lauren decide going away somewhere, just the two of them, is a good idea? R&R as always **


	73. Chapter 73

**Chapter Seventy-three.**

Joey carried the file back towards the house, turning as he heard someone call out his name. He stopped and saw Janine. 'Joey…..' she ran over to him 'I've just been to the house and Alice isn't there and she isn't answering her phone. Have you seen her?'

'Oh. Yeah, she's at home' he told her 'I had to nip out and I didn't want to leave Lauren on her own so I asked Alice to come over' he frowned 'Sorry, I should've called you' he apologised 'I didn't think…'

Janine was about to shout at him, until he apologised to her. She sighed 'How is she?' She asked, 'Lauren?' she added to clarify when she saw the confusion on his face.

'I don't know. Not good' he replied as they started walking towards number 23. Joey unlocked the door 'do you want to come in?' he asked her. Janine nodded and they went inside. They could hear Scarlett giggling in the lounge as Alice played with her. 'Janine walked into the lounge and she smiled at Scarlett and Alice

'Oh Janine. I'm sorry I know you didn't want me to leave the house today but…' Alice started to say

'It's okay. Joey explained he didn't want to leave Lauren on her own' she told her 'I was just worried when I got home and you and Scarlett weren't there' she smiled at Scarlett 'hello you' she waved at her daughter, Scarlett responded with a gurgle.

Lauren heard voices and she got up and walked out of the bedroom, into the lounge, Alice saw Joey stuff something under the sofa as he heard her moving around and then look at Lauren when she stood in the doorway.

'Hey' Alice smiled at her

'Hey' Lauren replied softly.

Janine looked at her 'How are you?' she asked her, Lauren blinked in response and Janine frowned 'sorry, stupid question' she said.

'I'm …going to be okay' Lauren replied, glancing at Joey 'Once we get away from this place'

'You've made up your mind?' he asked her and she nodded her head. 'Do you have anywhere in mind?' he asked her, Lauren shook her head.

'I have a villa in Spain' Janine said, suddenly surprising everyone, including herself 'you can go there' she told them 'All you have to pay for are the flights, the food…..' she looked at them both, Lauren looked at her in surprise.

'What's the catch?' Lauren asked her suspiciously.

'There's no catch, Lauren' Janine said to her 'I just thought I could help out, if you don't want it….'

'Do you want to go to Spain, babe, or do you want to go and see your mum and Oscar'

Lauren looked back at Joey and her eyes filled with tears again and she shook her head 'I want to go to Spain' she replied quietly as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away, embarrassed and looked down 'I'm sorry' she left the room, returning to the bedroom. Joey went to follow her

'Let me' Janine said to him. He frowned at her.

'I'm not sure that's such a good idea' he said.

'Trust me Joey, I know exactly what Lauren is going through' she told him.

Alice and Joey exchanged glances as she left. 'So what did you stuff under the cushion when Lauren came into the room?'

'Nothing' Joey shook his head 'and don't tell Lauren' he warned her.

'Okay, fine' Alice said 'but don't blame me if she finds whatever it is and goes mad at you'

Joey sighed and rolled his eyes 'I won't' he replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Janine came out of the bedroom an hour later and she closed the door silently. She took a calming breath and then walked into the lounge, Joey thought her eyes looked red but he didn't mention anything. 'She's asleep' Janine told them 'I'll give the address and keys to Alice to bring back later tonight' she said to Joey.

'Okay, thanks' he said to her.

'Anytime' Janine said with a smile. She walked over to Scarlett and scooped her up into her arms 'now, you be a good girl for Alice' she told her as she kissed her on the cheek and hugged her a little tighter than she normally would.

'Thank you' Joey said as Janine handed Scarlett to Alice 'I'll see you out'

Janine turned to face Joey as she stepped outside. 'It's going to take time, Joey' Janine told him 'just be patient with her…supportive….just be what she needs you to be for now…'

'And what's that?' he asked her.

'A friend' Janine replied and she turned, walking away. Joey closed the door, returning to the lounge and pulling the file from under the cushions. He went into the kitchen, shutting the door behind him. He put the file down on the kitchen table and stared at the front cover.

He couldn't read it here, he couldn't take the chance that Lauren would come in and find him. He knew the club was shut so, chose it as a safe place to go. He got up and went into the lounge, grabbing his keys. 'Can you keep an eye on Lauren?' he asked Alice again.

'Yes of course… where are you going?' she asked him.

'I just… have a couple of chores to do' he told her 'I'll have my phone with me so if she needs me, call me okay?'

'Okay' Alice replied 'I'll call you if I need to'

Joey took a breath as he grabbed his coat and he headed towards the club.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Once inside he grabbed a bottle of scotch and a glass and he poured himself a generous amount. He opened the file and he started to read.

**AN: Is Joey going to like what he reads? Should he be reading the file or should he be waiting for Lauren to talk to him? Janine seems a bit nicer in my story than she is in the show doesn't she? A break away is something that they need though, right? Hopefully Spain will help Lauren overcome what happened to her. WOW! 1001 reviews for Revelry. Thank you all so much...it's amazing I am so glad you are all enjoying Revelry and there was me thinking about deleting it! Thank you 74Crazychick for taling me out of it! You the best TB Ever! xx R&R as always**


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter Seventy-Four. **

As Joey read the file, he got more and more angry. All the evidence the police had was circumstantial. They had nothing in writing that actually pointed to him as the person who committed the crime. There was a statement from Whitney that had stated that Lauren got upset when Joey's name was mentioned but that was it. There was nothing from Lauren stating he'd attacked her. In fact the written police notes said the victim was too traumatised to be questioned and when they'd tried to question her, she couldn't give them coherent answers. She seemed to be in a very fragile state, was confused and in shock. The only thing written down that she'd said was his own name, over and over.

He flipped through the pages and discovered the pictures of Lauren that'd been taken at the hospital. His eyes filled with tears as he looked through them. She'd been very badly beaten up, the bruises she had now were nothing compared to how she looked when she was first admitted to hospital. He was shocked and appalled at the extent of her injuries. There didn't appear to be any part of her body that wasn't bruised or torn. The pictures got harder and harder to look at, until he finally put them away, unable to see any more of the disturbing images.

Joey moved onto the medical report and read through her injuries. Tears rolled down his face as he saw there before him, written down in black and white every little detail of the trauma Lauren had gone through. He forced himself to continue to read the words. When he was finished he looked at the scotch. He picked it up and raised it to his lips. Thoughts of finding Lauren on the floor in the kitchen with the bottle of scotch came into his head. He frowned, suddenly disgusted with himself, disgusted with how weak he was. All he'd done was read through a file. What he read had actually happened to Lauren and she'd managed not to drink, yet here he was with a half drunk glass of scotch in his hand. He felt overwhelmingly proud of her, of how strong she'd been not to turn to alcohol. Proud that she had the strength to pour it away. He put the glass down noisily and picked up the file again.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

He could hear Lauren screaming as he walked up to the door. He fumbled with his keys, managing to open the door a few seconds later and rushing into the house, pushing the door shut behind him. Alice was holding Scarlett who was crying and frightened. Joey rushed into the bedroom and found Lauren thrashing around on the bed, still asleep. He gathered her into his arms, narrowly missing her arms and legs as she flailed them around wildly. 'Sssh, babe, I'm here… it's okay' he said softly. Lauren's eyes sprung open and she looked terrified, but as soon as she saw Joey's face, the fear slowly dissipated from her eyes and he felt her relax, 'It was just a dream Lauren that's all, you're safe here, okay?'

Lauren looked up at him 'I'm sorry' she whispered pushing him away and climbing out of bed. She fled the room and ran up the stairs. Joey heard the bathroom door slam shut as she ran into the room. Even from where he was sitting Joey could hear her as she threw up in the toilet. There was a brief pause before the shower started up and he knew she'd just stripped off her clothes and was having another shower.

Joey closed his eyes, covering his face with his hands. He wished this hadn't happened to her….to any of them.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

When Lauren returned an hour later, Joey could see she'd been crying and his heart broke for her. 'Tell me what I can do' he said softly.

Lauren shook her head 'There isn't anything you can do' she told him quietly 'I just want to be by myself….'

What she'd said just broke his heart further…because he needed to be there…for him, however selfish that made him 'Lauren…'

'Please Joey' she raised her eyes to look at him.

'Don't shut me out, let me help you'

'Help me how, Joey?' she frowned at him 'Can you turn back the clock? Can you take away my memories of that night? Can you stop me having nightmares? Can you stop it being the first thing I think of when I wake up?' she snapped at him angrily 'Can you stop me feeling the way I feel?'

'Lauren…..'

'No, Joey, you can't' she said, shaking her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks 'You don't know what happened to me, what I went through … you don't know how I'm feeling…what I'm thinking'

'So talk to me. Don't try and deal with this on your own, I'm here Lauren. You can yell at me, scream at me, call me names, hit me… whatever you need to do, I can take it. I can handle it, I promise' he told her softly 'you can't bottle things up babe…it's not going to help'

Lauren looked at him 'maybe I don't want to talk to you about this, maybe I don't want you to know what he did to me'

Joey swallowed 'I already know' he said to her 'Phil gave me the file his brief had when he was working to get me out of prison' he told her 'I read it earlier today, at the club' he looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction.

'What?' she blinked, surprised at what he'd just told her.

'I thought it would be easier than you telling me yourself' he told her 'I thought it would help' Lauren sat down on the bed, her hands covering her face 'I'm sorry I …. I needed to know, Lauren' he told her. He sat down beside her and tentatively put his arm around her. He felt her stiffen at first but then she relaxed into his embrace. 'I've been thinking, maybe we need to find a new place to live' he told her 'Somewhere of our own, where we can make a fresh start'

'We can't afford it, Joey'

'Why don't you let me worry about what we can and can't afford, hey?' he asked her softly 'I thought I'd start making some enquiries about new places today and I think maybe you should help me'

'I can't ….' She shook her head, the thought of leaving the house of seeing people's reaction, filled her with dread.

'Hiding away in here isn't going to solve anything babe. It's not going to change anything' he told her 'You need to start getting dressed in your old clothes, to start living again' he licked his lips.

She pulled out of his arms and crawled onto the bed, laying down, facing away from him 'I don't need you to tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing' she told him with a frown.

'Look, I'm going to be in the lounge, trying to find a place for us to live. Maybe we can look at them together, if you decide to come through' he told her gently, standing up and grabbing her laptop. He opened the bedroom door. 'I love you' he reminded her quietly. She heard the door shut behind him and closed her eyes, wishing she could find a big rewind button to take her back to the time before all this happened.

**AN: Is Joey regretting going behind Lauren's back and reading the file? Lauren doesn't seem to be making any effort to try to get her life back, she seems happy to lie in smelly clothes and wallow in her self-pity. Can Joey help her? Will she let him? Read on to find out. R&R as always **


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter Seventy-five**

Over the next few weeks Joey, Alice and Kat watched helplessly as Lauren withdrew further and further into herself. Joey was grateful he was still able to coax her to eat and drink, but he was worried about how long he'd be able to continue to do so before she shut down entirely.

The trip to Spain hadn't helped as much as he'd hoped it would. Lauren had stayed shut up in the Villa while he went out and took in the sights, the sand and the sun, needing to feel the open space again after his incarceration. He wished Lauren had wanted the same but despite constantly encouraging Lauren to come out with him. She didn't.

Joey was growing more and more concerned about his girlfriend. She wouldn't even let him touch her anymore. Let him hold her or comfort her. He had a feeling the reason behind that was because he'd told her he'd read the file Phil's brief had and he felt incredibly guilty. He should have waited for her to talk to him, to tell him what had happened. Because now she seemed to have shut herself off more from him. But there was no turning back the clock, doing things differently. She refused to go to see her counsellor, even Peggy couldn't break down her walls and get her to talk to her. And apart from the holiday, she still refused to leave the house or to be more specific the bedroom, except for her 10 daily showers or to use the toilet.

Joey had an idea that he thought could help. It was a longshot but one he was willing to take. He called Whitney to come over to talk to Lauren. If he'd been able to predict what would happen, Joey never would've suggested Whitney try to talk to her. Both girls had ended up in tears very upset and Joey felt so guilty for some of the things Lauren had said to Whitney that he'd called Tyler to explain what had happened, apologising profusely. Lauren withdrew from Joey even more after that. She refused to eat when he was in the same room as her, but at least she was still eating.

For now.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey had luck in finding them a new flat to move into. He'd done all of the packing whilst Lauren just lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling or pretended to be asleep. He knew he needed to do something to break down the walls she had built up again. He was thankful, at least, she hadn't turned to alcohol. He moved all their things into the new flat just across the square and unpacked everything too. Lauren hadn't even seen the flat, so he had no idea if she was even going to like it. Once he had unpacked everything he went back to the house and walked into the bedroom.

'Okay, the new flat is ready for us to move into, babe' he told her. She didn't even acknowledge he was there. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, counting to ten as he did so. 'You have two choices here, Lauren. You either get your arse off this bed and walk with me over the square, to the new flat or I swear to god I'll pick you up, throw you over my shoulder and carry you over there' he warned her. She still didn't move, so Joey followed through on his threat and grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder, 'Alice, we're off' he called out as he opened the front door.

'Joey, put me down!' Lauren squealed at him, 'I can walk!' she hit his back over and over as he shut the front door behind them. He walked to the end of the path and put her down, not too carefully in the middle of the road before walking off towards their new flat. She glared at him angrily, but followed.

Joey went into the flat first and walked into the lounge, taking a seat on the sofa. Lauren came in behind him, closing the door as she entered the flat. She looked around, the lounge and kitchen were open planned and linked onto each other. There was another room off the lounge and she walked towards it and opened the door. Peering inside she could see that it was a bedroom, another door was off that room, walking through she saw it was an en-suite bathroom. Walking back into the bedroom she opened the closet, seeing that Joey had unpacked all her clothes.

She took a breath and instead of curling up on the bed like she wanted to she returned to the lounge and looked at Joey.

'It's nice' she said to him softly. He raised his eyes to hers 'thank you … for doing everything'

'You're welcome' he said to her 'You must be hungry, I was thinking maybe we could go to the Vic and grab some food?' he asked her. He saw the panic in her eyes 'Babe, you can't hide away forever, sooner or later you're going to have to go outside and resume your life, I have to go back to work tomorrow or we're going to get kicked out of the flat in less than a month'

'I don't want to go out' she shook her head 'not tonight…maybe we can have a Chinese?'

Joey looked at her 'you fancy a Chinese?' he asked her, a least she was asking for food, rather than him trying to guess what she wanted to eat 'you want the usual?' he asked her, she nodded her head.

'Okay, I'll order' he said with a smile. Joey pulled out his mobile and placed their order as she sat down beside him on the sofa.

When he hung up the phone, she licked her lips and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 'I'm sorry I didn't help' she told him.

Joey turned to look at her 'It's okay. It's not like we had a huge amount of stuff to pack, is it?' he asked her softly. She shook her head and looked down at her fingers, Joey saw her nails were all bitten away. 'Well at least you're talking to me now, hey?' he asked her.

She looked up at him 'Sorry… I just … that house….'

'I know' he nodded in understanding 'which is why I thought we should move out' he told her 'I should have thought about that sooner' he frowned 'anyway, this is a new place, a fresh start, where we can make new memories' he told her 'just you and me. We're going to be okay Lauren' he told her firmly.

'Are we?' she asked him.

'You don't think we are?' he asked her. Lauren shook her head. 'Why not?' She shrugged. Joey sighed 'that's not very helpful' he told her.

'I just….I don't think we can get over this, that's all' she told him.

**AN: Now that Lauren and Joey have moved into their new home, Lauren has started to open up to Joey a little bit. But what is Joey going to make of her last statement? R&R as always **


	76. Chapter 76

**Chapter Seventy-six.**

Joey blinked at her not sure he was hearing what she was saying. 'That's all?' he asked her 'don't you think it's a pretty big thing to say?' he frowned at her 'you think I'm not going to stay with you?' he said 'do you think I'm here when I don't want to be?'

I don't know' she said quietly. 'Maybe' she added with a shrug, Joey shifted on the sofa so he was facing her.

'Look at me' he said softly, Lauren raised her head to look at him 'I'm here because I want to be here, I love you Lauren, that hasn't changed. You, us, that's still what I want' he told her licking his lips. 'Is this…Do you still want us? Am I still what you want?' he asked her. Lauren blinked at him not expecting him to ask her that 'Do you still love me?'

'Yes, of course I do' she replied quickly 'It's not that, Joey…' she told him.

'You know what I think?' he asked her continuing before she had a chance to say anything else 'I think you need to talk to someone, maybe to your counsellor, maybe to Peggy or Kat or your mum. You know, keeping all this bottled up inside you like this isn't going to help' he told her 'and I know you're not sleeping well. You spend most of the night tossing and turning and you look exhausted. You can't go on not sleeping. You're just going to make yourself ill. So I think we need to make a doctor's appointment and see if we can get you some sleeping pills' he told her 'Or something to make you relax so you can have a good night's sleep'

Lauren licked her lips and took a breath 'I am tired' she nodded her head 'I just … as soon as I close my eyes I see …..I see _his_ face….' She looked down.

'He's in prison Lauren, he can't get to you and I'm here, I will keep you safe, I promise. You know that I'll never hurt you, right'

'I know' she nodded her head and looked up at him. ' I'm just…I'm worried this is going to be too much for you….I mean ….we don't even have a sex life anymore and I know you …well you know' she trailed off.

Joey took a deep breath and got up. He moved closer to her on the sofa, her eyes meeting his 'we're more than sex, Lauren' he told her softly. 'Look, I know right now getting that side of our relationship back is the last thing on your mind and I understand why Lauren, I do. What happened to you was traumatic, painful and horrific and I'm not going to try to push you into resuming having sex with me. When you're ready, you'll let me know and until that time… I'm happy, just being with you. I'm here for you, whatever you need me to be, you know that, right?' he told her.

Lauren looked at him, her eyes filling with tears 'I do love you Joey, I swear, I do' he reached out and brushed her tears away with his thumb.

'Come here' he whispered softly. She practically threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly as he held her, rubbing her back and kissing her hair softly 'I'm here, I've got you baby….' he murmured against her hair. He held her for half an hour whilst she sobbed into his shirt. The doorbell rang, letting them know their takeaway was here. 'I'd better get that babe' he told her softly. She sniffed and nodded her head, letting him go. He walked to the door as she got up and went through to the bathroom to wash her face.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey was pleased when Lauren ate half of the food he'd put on her plate and he'd given her more than she would usually eat. He cleared the plates away and made them some coffee taking it back over to her. As soon as he was seated, Lauren moved to snuggle against him. He put his arm around her with a smile, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 'Can I tell you?' she asked him 'What happened that night?'

'Yes' he nodded his head 'you can tell me as much or as little as you want to' he told her softly 'whenever you are ready to'

'Maybe….maybe….soon'

'Whatever you want' he repeated, kissing the top of her head.

**AN: So was that all Lauren needed? To have a change of scene, not to be living in the same that house Michael used to live in? They've taken a few little steps so far…things can only get better now, right? R&R as always **


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter Seventy-Seven**

Joey was the first to wake the next morning and he smiled to see Lauren was still sleeping, wrapped in his arms just as she'd been when they went to sleep. He was hoping last night, today was the start of Lauren healing. He hoped she would finally open up to him, let him back in. She gave a soft moan and he watched her face as her eyes fluttered open to gaze into his. 'Morning babe' he whispered softly.

Morning' she replied and looked up at him.

'Are you hungry?' he asked her 'I can cook you some breakfast or we could go to the café?'

She swallowed 'The café' she replied.

'Yeah?' she heard the surprise in his voice.

'Fresh start, remember?' she asked him and he nodded.

'Okay, why don't you go have a shower first?' She nodded and climbed out of the bed, walking into the bathroom. She was in the shower for 25 minutes and came out with his robe wrapped around her. Joey smiled as he climbed out of bed, taking his clean clothes with him and took her place in the bathroom. His shower was quicker than Lauren's and he dried and dressed himself in the bathroom, he opened the bathroom door slightly. 'Can I come in?' he called, through the gap.

'One second' she called back 'Okay' she called again, a few seconds later.

Joey pushed the door open stepping into the bedroom, Lauren was dressed and he smiled at her, she wasn't wearing her baggy clothing. She had put on a pair of skinny jeans and one of her old t-shirts.

'That's the girl I know' he told her with a smile.

'I'm going to try to make an effort' she told him softly 'I want us to work, Joey, I do….I don't want you to get sick of me and leave…'

'That's never going to happen, babe' he told her firmly. He crossed over to her and opened his arms, Lauren moved into them willingly 'I don't want you to try and push things, to go faster than you are ready to' he told her 'I ain't going anywhere' She nodded and let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding and he kissed the top of her head.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to leave the flat. Joey watched Lauren as she pulled on her coat and he opened the door. Lauren took a deep breath and looked at Joey nervously, 'I'll be right by your side the whole time' he promised her 'Come on' he held out his hand. Lauren took another deep breath and swallowed as she crossed the room and slipped her hand into his. He squeezed it gently and led her out of the flat.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

They crossed the square and Lauren's eyes darted around looking at people, feeling self-conscious as she saw them staring at her, Joey gave her hand another reassuring squeeze as they walked into the Café. Lucy, Whitney and Tyler were there and the conversation stopped as they looked up at Lauren.

'Do you want scrambled eggs and toast?' Joey asked her.

'Please' she nodded 'Shall…Shall I find a table?' she asked him.

Yeah, that'd be good, babe' he replied. She let his hand go, turning round she saw her friends at a table. Whitney looked at her.

'There's two seats here' she said to Lauren. Lauren swallowed, nodding her head and walked over to them. Lucy and Whitney both stood up and enveloped her in a hug, taking her by surprise. Joey turned to check she was okay and couldn't help but smile. The girls let her go and she moved round to sit in one of the two empty chairs and her eyes met Joeys. He winked at her before turning back to pay. He picked up their coffees and brought them over to the table and set them down, before taking the seat beside her.

'You okay?' he asked her quietly, she nodded her head and shuffled her chair slightly closer to Joey's.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later back at the flat, Joey came out of the bedroom wearing his work clothes and he looked at Lauren, she was sitting on the sofa staring into space. He took a breath and crossed over to her and sat down. 'Look, I can tell Phil I can't come in tonight' he told her

She shook her head 'No. I'll be fine, I promise' she told him, turning her gaze to him 'like you said, we need to be able to pay for this place and only one of us is bringing money in now'

I'm not working late. I'll be back at 10' he told her

Lauren nodded her head 'Okay' she said.

'If you need me, you call me okay?' he asked her and she nodded her head again.

'I'll be okay' she told him.

Joey took a deep breath and stood up, grabbing his keys, jacket and phone from beside the door. He opened it and turned back to look at her. She forced a smile on her face and he winked at her and closed the door behind him.

Lauren looked at the clock on the wall. It was 7:00pm. Joey was only going to be gone for three hours. She would be okay in the flat alone for three hours. Right? She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen, making herself some coffee. Lauren took the cup back into the lounge, along with some of her favourite chocolate biscuits she'd found in the cupboard and she picked up the remote turning on the TV. Finding an old black and white movie to watch, she smiled and snuggled down on to the sofa. She was still there when she heard the key in the door. She looked up and smiled brightly when she saw Joey.

'Hey' he smiled back at her.

'Hey' she replied as she turned the TV off. She stood up with her cup and walked into the kitchen. 'How was work?'

'Pretty quiet actually' he said as he leant against the side watching her 'pretty pointless having three bar staff in, if I'm honest' he licked his lips 'so what did you do?' he asked her.

'I found a couple of old black and white movies to watch' she said as she rinsed her cup and put it on the side of the sink. She turned to look at him 'I survived three whole hours by myself' she told him, with a slight smile of pride.

Joey nodded his head 'Yeah, you did' he replied 'I'm proud of you, babe' he took a deep breath 'I don't know about you but I feel like an early night' he said to her.

She nodded her head 'Sounds like a plan' she said as she walked out of the kitchen, flicking off the lights. 'Are you working tomorrow?' she asked, following him into the bedroom.

'Nope' Joey said 'I told Sharon I would work every other day' he told her.

'So does that mean we could go for a run tomorrow?' she asked him.

'Yeah' he smiled 'I'd like that' he said as they walked into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later they were in bed. Lauren was wrapped in his arms. She smiled and inhaled his scent pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.

'Night Joey, love you' she whispered.

'Night babe, love you too' he replied, smiling into the darkness.

**AN: Well, Lauren survived 3 hours being by herself, maybe some time alone, without anyone watching her every move was what she needed? Let me know what you think of Revelry so far. So...I'm going to set you another little challenge because you do them so well... If you want to ****another chapter tonight...****hen I want at least 12 reviews for this chapter of Revelry by 9:30pm. I also want at least 12 reviews for C****razychick's SINS OF THE FATHER BY 9.30pm...so challenge set! Tfor R&R as always**


	78. Chapter 78

**AN: Well aren't you all good!? I have got 17 reviews for this last chapter and 74Crazychick has got 15 reviews for her latest chapter of SINS OF THE FATHER! So as a reward you are getting another chapter of Revelry.. thank you all from me and 74crazychick**

**Chapter Seventy eight.**

The next morning Max walked down the steps of his house and saw Lauren and Joey running around the square. He was very concerned about his daughter, he wished she had taken up the offer to move back into the house with him, Cora and Abi. He wanted her somewhere he could keep an eye on her. To make sure that she was safe. Not that he blamed Joey for what happened to Lauren. He knew it wasn't his nephew's fault. Even when Joey got arrested he knew deep down that Joey wasn't responsible for the things the police had accused him of.

He also knew Joey loved his daughter, but he really didn't think the young man was going to be able to cope with what had happened to Lauren. Lauren was barely coping with it herself. And when Lauren's drinking began spiralling out of control Joey hadn't stuck around then, so why would things be any different now. He needed to talk to Joey to make him see what was best for Lauren. And Max was certain the best thing for Lauren would be leaving the square. Going back to her mother's in Devon. Somewhere there wasn't constant reminders around her. Max knew he was going to have to talk to Joey about it, put the idea in his head and see what happened.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey and Lauren headed back to their flat. She pulled out her keys and walked inside, Joey followed. 'Are you okay if I shower first?' she asked him as they walked into the bedroom.

'Yeah course, I'll make coffee?' he suggested.

'Okay, but then I'll cook breakfast while you shower?' she asked.

'Yeah? Alright' he grinned at her 'you have a deal.' She closed the bathroom door and he heard the shower start up. Joey remembered when they used to shower together after they came back from a run. Now it was who showered first and second.

He sat down on the bed and rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. They'd run to the park and then walked round the lake a few times and Lauren had tried to tell him about the night Michael attacked her. She'd found it very difficult and could barely get the words out. She'd told him about the things she'd said to him when she quit. The things he'd said to her in return. Telling her she deserved to be a with a real man who knew how to treat a lady, which certainly wasn't the way Joey treated her, she should be made love to and often, not just screwed. Lauren had told Joey she couldn't sleep that night. Things had been playing on her mind. She thought the things she'd said to Michael were cruel and nasty and she could've been a little bit nicer about giving him the brush off. So she went out for a run.

Lauren got as far as telling Joey she'd nearly been at the club and she was going to go in and wait for him to finish his shift so they could go home together, but as she walked past the gym, she saw the door was open and was worried someone had broken in. So she went inside to check. Lauren told him she knew it was a stupid thing to do, in case whoever it was, was still in there, but when she realised it was Michael, she felt okay. She'd broken down in tears at this point and Joey held her. She hadn't said anything else about it, and Joey didn't want to push her. He knew she'd tell him more but in her own time and he'd have to be patient about it and just wait until whenever that time would be.

Joey missed her, missed her touch. Missed making love to her, missed touching her. He took a deep breath as he heard the shower stop. He waited a few more minutes before she came into the bedroom. 'Showers free' she said softly.

'Thanks, babe' he said. He got up and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open behind him. He stripped off and got into the shower. He stood under the hot water, bracing himself against the tiles as he hung his head, his eyes filled with tears and he cried.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

He walked into the lounge, smelling bacon and eggs cooking, following the smell he walked into the kitchen. Without thinking, he slid his arms around Lauren's waist, pulling her back against him. He knew he'd made a mistake when he felt her stiffen in his arms and she stopped stirring the eggs. He instantly let her go and took a few steps away from her. 'I'm sorry' he said softly 'I thought you heard me come in' he said to her. He pushed his hands into his pockets looking down at the floor, 'why don't I lay the table, hey?' he asked her, grabbing the plates off the side and moving away from her. She closed her eyes, moving the eggs off the heat and she turned to look at him. Lauren took a breath and she walked over to him, putting her hand gently on his back.

'I'm sorry Joey' she said softly. She looked up at him as he turned around.

'It was my fault' he said 'I didn't think' he told her.

Lauren licked her lips. 'Don't Joey….this isn't your fault…it isn't you... It's me' she told him, smiling slightly at the slightly cheesy words. It didn't make them any less true though, not in this case. 'I know you're not him, Joey…..I just…..don't like being ….'

'Touched' Joey finished for her 'Yeah, I know' he nodded and walked back into the kitchen, grabbing some knives and forks and bringing them back to the table, putting them near the plates. She swallowed and caught his hand as he went back towards the kitchen to get some glasses. Joey sighed and he turned to look at her 'It's okay' he told her softly 'don't worry about it. We should eat before breakfast gets cold.' She let his hand go and he moved to the stove to finish off the cooking. She swallowed, feeling guilty.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

They ate breakfast in silence. Joey finished his in ten minutes flat. Lauren sighed, the awkwardness that had been between them for some time hadn't been this apparent as it had in this moment. Now it had a large flashing neon sign over it. Lauren picked up the plates and went into the kitchen to clean up. She heard the front door open and close as Joey left. This was what she was worried about. This was why she thought things wouldn't work between them. Not because Joey wasn't understanding or considerate but because she couldn't give him what he needed, what he wanted. And all she would do was hurt him. Not intentionally, not deliberately, but she was hurting him nonetheless.

As she washed the dishes, she thought about things, she thought about what she could do to try and make him see that she still wanted him. She knew Joey wasn't Michael. She also knew Joey would never hurt her. Sex with Joey was amazing. She knew she had no reason to be afraid of Joey and in truth she wasn't. She was afraid of what….or rather who she would see if they were having sex and she closed her eyes…would she see Joey or would she see_ him_….

She decided there was only one way to find out.

**AN: What is Max planning to do? You would have thought he'd learnt his lesson after he interfered between Joey and Lauren when she first returned to Walford. And what is Lauren planning to do, and how is it going to end? R&R always. **


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter Seventy-Nine.**

Joey returned to the flat at lunchtime and licked his lips nervously as he put his keys down in the dish by the door. He shrugged his jacket off and hung it on the peg. He knew he needed to apologise for just walking out the way he did.

'Lauren?' he called out.

'Bedroom' he heard her call back.

He walked through and paused in the doorway. He saw her sitting cross legged on the bed with photographs all around her, he frowned.

'What are you doing?' he asked her, his apology forgotten as his curiosity piqued.

'Well… I thought maybe we could brighten up the flat a little with some pictures, I fished out the ones I brought with me when I moved into your house' she said to him 'and I called Alice and she brought over some of you she had and I'm looking through them. I was thinking maybe I could do a collage of pictures of us' she told him. He walked over to the bed and carefully sat down 'What do you think?' she asked him.

'I think that's a really good idea' he told her 'do you need some help?'

She looked up at him with a smile, nodding her head 'Yeah, these are the ones I've pulled out so far to use for the collage' she leant forward and picked up a small pile, holding them out to him. Joey looked through them and saw they were largely of Lauren as a toddler.

'Look how cute you are' he said with a smile as he looked at the pig tailed Lauren grinning back at him with two missing two front teeth.

'You look pretty cute yourself' she said holding out a photograph of Joey standing proudly beside a shiny red bicycle, sporting a pudding bowl haircut.

'I remember when this was taken' Joey said 'It was my 7th birthday' he said with a smile 'mum got me this bike. It was the one that I'd pointed out to her in the shop months beforehand, she told me we couldn't afford it and then on the morning of my birthday she took me outside and there it was' he told her with a grin. 'I rode it all morning, I only fell off once, scuffed my knees up, but I got back on it after mum had patched me up' he said and then Lauren watched as his smile faded.

'What is it?' Lauren asked him softly, a frown on her face.

'That was the day Derek was released from prison and he turned up when we were in the middle of my birthday party' he told her, putting the picture down on the bed.

'What happened?' Lauren asked him.

'What didn't happen when Derek was around?' he frowned at her, climbing off the bed he walked through to the kitchen. Lauren blinked, picking the picture back up. She looked at it. Suddenly what seemed like a good idea had turned into a terrible one, instead of bonding with Joey, she'd managed to bring back bad memories of Derek. She sighed, gathering up the pictures and putting them back in the box, just as Joey came back into the room with two glasses of juice, 'what are you doing?' he frowned.

'This was a bad idea' she told him 'all I've managed to do is bring back bad memories of your childhood with Derek' she said shaking her head as she reached across the bed to scoop up some more pictures. He put the glasses down on the bedside table and walked around to her.

'Stop! This was a brilliant idea' he told her softly 'and the bad memories of Derek are always going to be there, it's just a case of not letting them get to me, I mean they happened, I can't go back in time and change them can I, hey?' he asked her 'and besides up until Derek turning up I remember having a pretty good day' he told her. She looked up at him as he took the pictures out of her hands and put them back down on the bed 'So how big is this collage going to be, or are we going to do a few of them, have them hanging all over the flat?' he walked back to his side of the bed and looked through some more pictures, after a while he realised she hadn't moved, 'are you helping me or not?' he raised an eyebrow at her.

'I'm helping' she nodded, taking her seat again.

'What about this one?' he held up a picture of her, she turned to look at it.

'Oh, that one was taken five Christmases ago, that's Bradley, my half-brother' Lauren said as she looked at the picture.

'He looks happy' Joey said.

'Five minutes later he wasn't' Lauren said as she took the photograph from him 'that's when he opened my Christmas present to him'

'He didn't like it?' Joey asked surprised.

'It was the DVD I took of his wedding day. When dad was giving the bride more than a friendly peck on the cheek if you get my drift' she said to him.

'Oh' Joey said in understanding.

'Yeah, not one of my finest moments' Lauren said 'I was a bit of ….brat…' she pulled a face and put the picture back in the box.

'What about this one?' she picked up one of Joey covered in mud and he started to laugh.

'Oh god, I remember this, I was making mud and worm pies…..'

Lauren smiled, leaning in closer to him, shifting on the bed slightly so they were touching at the shoulders.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

An hour later, they were both laughing hard, Joey wiped the tears away from his eyes, clearing his throat 'okay I think that's enough about my naughtiness as a child' he said to her.

'However did your mother put up with you?' she teased him.

'She said it had something to do with my puppy dog eyes I used to give her whenever I'd been discovered doing something bad' he told her.

'Yeah…your eyes' she said softly. She reached out and stroked his cheek softly, Joey turned his head so he was looking at her. She stared deep into his eyes. 'I remember when I first saw you, you pretended to be interested in Lucy but I could see the way your eyes sparkled when you looked at me, they didn't do that when you looked at her, or anyone else' she told him 'I remember how one look from you and I would feel like jelly'

'Yeah?' he asked her, noticing she'd closed the distance between them, her face was close to his. He could feel her breath on his lips.

'Yeah' she whispered and she moved closer, pressing her lips against his.

**AN: Lauren certainly seems to be a little bit better. Wanting to put up pictures of the both of them to make the flat feel more homely. Lauren's making her moves on Joey… what happens next? Keep reading to find out. I could be persuaded to give you all another chapter of this tonight IF and only if you give me at least 20 reviews and at least 20 reviews to the next chapter of 74Craychicks SINS OF THE FATHER which will be up after tonights episode of Eastenders... and you have until 10pm to review...if you don't meet the challenge there will no more Revelry until Tuesday night! So you all know what to do! ****R&R as always**


	80. Chapter 80

**AN: Wow when you are set a challenge you really go all out to make sure it's met don't you? **

**Thank you all (especially the guest reviewers who we can't thank personally) for all your reviews. As at 10pm the last chapter of Revelry had 33 reviews and SINS had 28 reviews! So a HUGE heartelt thanks to you all from me and my TB 74crazychick xxxx**

**So as promised here is the next chapter of Revelry….**

**Enjoy. **

**Chapter Eighty.**

Joey licked his lips as she pulled back slightly, his eyes searched hers, questioning if this was really what she wanted to do. Lauren swallowed and gave a small hesitant smile before moving forward to kiss him again. Joey could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest, but he knew he had to be careful with her, he mustn't do anything that would frighten her. He felt her tongue run over his top lip. He was torn about what to do, kiss her back and risk things going too far, or pull away from her and risk hurting her, risk her thinking he was rejecting her.

She pulled away again when she realised Joey wasn't kissing her back, 'What's wrong?' she asked with a frown.

'Nothing' he shook his head, he could see the hurt in her eyes already. He licked his lips and he cupped her cheek in his hand. He took a deep breath, moving forward and hesitantly kissing her. She deepened the kiss and he let her, deciding he'd let her take the lead and let her take this as far as she wanted to. She moved forward, climbing onto his lap, straddling him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him passionately. They both moaned softly, both of them needing this as much as the other. Joey's hands moved to her back and he held her against him, he could feel his arousal increasing by the second and was worried that if she felt it, she would freak out. Gently he lifted her off his lap and lay her down on the bed, moving to lie down beside her. She broke the kiss to look at him, a little confused. He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose. 'I love you' he whispered softly.

'I love you too, Joey' she whispered back to him. She moved closer to him and kissed him again.

'Are you sure?' he asked her when they broke the kiss for air.

'Yes' she nodded her head 'I want you' she replied breathlessly. He moved forward, pressing her back against the bed as he half moved over her. She looped one leg around his as their kisses grew more desperate.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Before Lauren knew what was happening, Joey was on top of her, pressing her down into the mattress, and she knew she'd made a mistake. She wasn't ready to do this. She wasn't ready to have sex with Joey. She shouldn't have let things get this far. He'd checked with her to make sure this was what she wanted and she'd said yes, and at the moment he asked her it was the truth, but now…now his hands were all over her… she just wanted him to stop… to stop touching her, to get off her. She wriggled beneath him causing him to moan as she inadvertently brushed against his arousal. She tried to push him off but he was stronger than her.

Michael was stronger than her too.

She felt panic rising in her chest, she didn't want this…she wasn't ready for this, she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready for this, her eyes filled with tears.

'Joey…' she gasped '…..Joey….' she pushed against his chest as his lips moved to her neck, one hand covered her breast and she screwed her eyes shut 'Please… Joey… stop…stop...' she pushed against him again but he didn't seem to hear her, tears were rolling down her cheeks 'Please stop Joey!' she cried out, pushing hard against him 'I'm sorry... I can't….' she sobbed, 'GET OFF ME!' she screamed out and she used all her strength to push him off her. Joey frowned, confused as she scrambled off the bed, holding her blouse closed with one hand. He could see she was shaking and crying hard.

'Lauren… babe?' he whispered softly. He moved round to where she was standing and put his hands on her shoulder.

'Oh god please, I'm sorry ….. Please …Joey don't touch me…. Please …don't touch me' she sobbed brokenly. He let her go as if she'd burnt him. His own eyes filled with tears as he realised what had happened. He watched as she slid down the wall and crumpled to the floor, covering her face with one hand. He felt sick by what he'd done.

'I'm sorry' he whispered to her 'tell me what I can I do…' he crouched down wanting to comfort her but not knowing how to 'Lauren?' he whispered.

'Just…leave….me ….alone….Joey' she hiccupped 'Please…..just… just….go…..' she sobbed uncontrollably.

Joey swallowed and fled the bedroom, grabbing his keys and jacket on the way out. He ran out of the flat. She heard the door slam as he left and she sobbed harder, curling herself into a ball on the floor. She knew this was all her fault. She'd made another stupid mistake and now she'd hurt Joey.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey dashed his tears away from his face with the back of his hand as he crossed the square, bumping into Kat.

'Oi, watch where you're going!' she snapped before looking up and seeing it was Joey. 'Joey…what's wrong?' she frowned at the young man she'd grown quite fond of and seeing he was upset.

'It's my fault' he frowned 'Lauren's…..just go and see if Lauren's okay' he said to her and he pressed his keys into her hand and before he turned and ran off.

Kat frowned and she watched him go then looking towards the flat. She found the door was open and she herself in, not sure what she would find. She could hear Lauren sobbing uncontrollably.

'Lauren?' she called out, as she followed the crying to the bedroom. She found Lauren curled up on the floor. 'Lauren darling, what's happened?' she asked her softly as she knelt down on the floor, 'Lauren….?'

Lauren looked up at her and sat up, Kat saw her state of undress and frowned 'It's my fault… I thought I could but I couldn't….' Lauren shook her head 'Every time I closed my eyes all I could see was _his_ face…..I could feel _his_ hands on me, I could smell _him_… the scotch…..' she sobbed. Kat took Lauren into her arms.

'You're okay' Kat said as she rocked her gently 'Sssh, everything's going to be okay. Michael's not here, he can't hurt you anymore, Lauren. He's in prison, remember?' she whispered and pressed a kiss to the top of her head 'I'm here now and I'm going to look after you, okay?' Lauren clung to her as she cried brokenly.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey ran until he couldn't run anymore. He found himself outside a pub several miles from the square. He caught his breath and wiped his face before he went inside.

'Yes, love what can I get you?' a bar maid asked him.

'Double scotch, neat' he said as pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

**AN: Poor Lauren! And poor Joey! I'm not sure who feels more responsible and guilty for what has happened. But now Joey's ended up in a pub god knows where and plans to drown his sorrows! This isn't looking good…let me know what you think of Revelry so far. R&R as always **


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter Eighty-One **

Joey sat at the bar, minding his own business as he knocked back glass after glass of double scotches. He wondered if Lauren was okay. He hoped Kat had gone to her and was looking after her like he'd asked her to. He was so worried about Lauren, but he knew she didn't need him right now. He'd gotten so caught up in the moment that for a brief second, he'd forgotten what she had been through. He didn't even notice when she was trying to make him stop and as a result he was now disgusted with himself. Joey frowned, he should've known better, he should've put a stop to things before they got as far as they did, before he did whatever he did to make Lauren react that way.

He closed his eyes as the image of a terrified Lauren came into his head. He'd caused that reaction in her and his shame grew. He drained his glass and pushed it forward, signalling to the bar maid behind the bar. 'Stick another double scotch in there, please' he said.

She picked up the glass and looked at him briefly before refilling it. He sniffed and wiped his face, sliding off the stool and walked a little unsteadily through to the men's room.

Returning to the bar, when he'd done his business, he picked up his drink. Someone jostled him from behind and he spilt the majority of his scotch down his shirt. He put the glass down on the bar with a slam and turned round to see a couple of lads looking at him apologetically.

'Watch it!' he snarled at them, shoving one of them back. He staggered and stumbled to the floor. His two mates launched themselves at Joey.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren eventually calmed down and Kat led her into the bathroom. Lauren splashed some water on her face.

'Where's Joey?' Lauren asked her as she dried her face.

'I don't know' she said. shaking her head 'he didn't tell me where he was going, but he looked pretty upset. What happened Lauren?' she asked following her into the lounge.

'I did something stupid' Lauren said with a frown. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled Joey's number. It went through to voicemail and she closed her eyes 'Joey, it's me, I'm okay and I'm so sorry…please come home. I love you' she said softly. She hung up the phone with a sigh.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Kat asked her.

'No' Lauren shook her head 'I'm sorry… thank you for coming Kat but I just want to be by myself' she told her.

'Alright, well if you need me, call me, okay?' Kat was reluctant to leave.

'I will. Thanks' Lauren said nodding her head. She saw Kat out and then walked to the sofa sitting down and covering her face with her hands. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she contemplated the damage she'd done to her relationship with Joey. She curled up on the sofa, waiting for him to come back home.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Alice woke up the next morning. She got up and went downstairs into the kitchen. She made herself a coffee and walked through to the lounge. She opened the curtains and was shocked to find Joey asleep on the sofa. She frowned, wondering why he was there. Walking over to him she nudged him with her knee.

'Joey!' she hissed at him causing him to groan 'Joey!' she nudged him again,

'What?' he grumbled.

'What are you doing here, Joey?'

'Trying to get some sleep. Go away, Alice' he snapped at her.

'But you don't live here anymore, Joey. Remember?' she reminded him 'Is Lauren here too? Is there something wrong with the flat?'

'No, she's at the flat' he grumbled 'did you want anything else, Alice?' he asked her with a frown, sitting up to glare at her 'I didn't get in until late and I'm tired and hung over'

Alice gasped 'Joey, what happened to your face!?' she exclaimed

'What?' he frowned 'Just leave me alone, Alice will ya?' he snapped at her and lay back down on the sofa with a groan, wishing the room would stop spinning and he could stop the explosion in his head.

Alice left the room and went up to her room. She picked up her phone and called Lauren.

Lauren snatched the phone off the coffee table 'Joey!?'

'It's Alice, Joey's here' she told her 'I think he's been in a fight…..'

'I'm coming over' Lauren said hanging up. She grabbed her keys and ran across the square over to number 23 hammering on the door.

'Argh! Al! Will you get that?' Joey called out, rolling onto his side, facing the back of the sofa, He heard her run down the stairs and she opened the door to find Lauren standing there, she saw how terrible she looked.

'Are you okay?' Alice asked her, wondering what'd happened between Joey and Lauren.

'Where is he?' Lauren asked her, ignoring her question.

'On the sofa…..Lauren…' Lauren pushed her way into the house and through to the lounge. Alice shut the door and crept back up the stairs.

'Joey?' she said quietly, dropping to her knees beside the sofa. He heard her voice and closed his eyes 'Joey, I'm so sorry' she told him, her voice trembling with tears.

'Go home' he told her firmly, feeling guilty she was apologising to him. This was his fault, not hers.

'Don't be like this, please' she whispered 'it wasn't your fault… it was mine…..'

'Lauren, please. Just go home' he said sharply.

'Joey…' she touched his hand gently and saw the scraped knuckles 'What happened to your hands?' she asked him.

Joey sighed 'It's nothing, I just … I got into a fight' he told her 'I'm fine' his voice was cold, hard.

She felt her eyes fill with tears 'Why didn't you come home?' she asked him in shaky voice. 'I was worried'

'I didn't have my keys' he told her 'I gave them to Kat'

'I waited up for you….I wanted to tell you I was sorry … I ….'

'I can't do this now, Lauren' he cut her off abruptly 'my head is pounding…please can you just go….' he asked her 'I'll come back later….please…please, just go…..'

He felt a teardrop fall on his hand and she sniffed 'okay.' He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt her hand let go of his and he heard her footsteps walk to the doorway and then pause 'I love you, Joey' she whispered, her footsteps moved to the front door. He heard it open and then close. He covered his face with his hands and he broke down into tears.

Alice sat down at the top of the stairs as she heard Joey tell Lauren to leave. She saw Lauren appear in the hallway, pausing in the doorway to say something to Joey that Alice couldn't quite hear. Alice could see that Lauren was upset and she was worried about her, truth be told Alice had been worried about Lauren for some time now. She'd heard the way Joey spoke to Lauren and she didn't understand why he was being like that with her. Maybe they'd had a fight the night before, it would explain why Lauren was so upset. It must have been a pretty big fight to make Joey go out and get drunk though. Getting off his face wasn't the way Joey usually dealt with things. She frowned as she saw Lauren leave the house, even more upset than she was when she got there. Whatever had happened between the two of them it was pretty serious. She frowned and made her way down the stairs to give Joey a piece of her mind for upsetting Lauren, knowing how fragile she was. She was shocked when she heard her brother break down in tears too. This argument between the two of them must be huge if Joey was upset too. Maybe they were breaking up?

**AN: Joey spent the night at number 23 whilst Lauren sat up worrying and waiting for him. Joey ended up getting drunk and getting into a bar fight. What is going to happen now for the couple? Read on to find out. R&R As always.**


	82. Chapter 82

**AN: So…an explanation as to why I didn't post a chapter yesterday… the reason was because people aren't bothering to leave a review for other people's stories unless they are specifically requested to in order to get another chapter… and yes you have met every single challenge but what would be nice is for people to review without being asked. It takes 3 seconds to leave a review you don't even have to have an account you can leave a guest review. Yes, we enjoy writing these stories and we publish them so others can read and enjoy but what actually spurs us on to create new stories is YOU! The reader and reviewer. So please take some time to leave reviews and tell us what you think of these stories that we work long and hard on and share with you… new rule… you read it you review it! **

**Chapter Eighty-two**

After an hour, Kat went into the lounge with a coffee. She found Joey sitting up, staring into space, well as much as he could with one eye swollen shut.

'Here, drink this' she said, handing him a coffee. 'I'll get the first aid kit' she added. She returned a few minutes later, sat down next to him on the sofa 'so…who got on the wrong side of you last night, then?' she asked him as she took out some antiseptic wipes and started to clean the dried blood off his face.

'Just some blokes in a pub' he said 'I gave as good as I got' he laughed bitterly.

'Well, if you look like this then I'd hate to see what they look like' Kat said as he hissed in pain 'sorry' she pulled a face 'got drunk first, did you?' she asked him, smelling the alcohol on his breath and clothes.

'Something like that, yeah' he nodded his head, instantly regretting the motion.

'What happened between you and Lauren?' she asked him.

'What did she say?' he asked her.

'Nothing, she just kept saying this was all her fault and she was so sorry. She was worried about you' she told him 'and you were obviously worried about her otherwise you wouldn't have asked me go and see if she was okay' she paused and looked up at his face 'Wow, you really let someone pummel you hard.' She took a breath 'Look Joey, I don't know what happened between you and Lauren last night, but I do know whatever it was you were both upset about it, hiding away here isn't going to solve anything'

'I know that' Joey said 'I just… couldn't go back there last night' he said to her 'Not the state I was in'

'Maybe if you talk to me, I can help?' she suggested.

'You can't' he replied shaking his head 'No one can help' he added with a frown.

Kat lowered the wipe 'Do you love her?'

'Yes, of course I love her' Joey said with a frown.

'Then go and talk to her. Alice said she was pretty upset when she left here this morning'

'I know' he nodded his head and he looked down at his hands, Kat followed his gaze and saw his knuckles.

'You know this isn't the answer' she gestured to his knuckles.

'Yeah, well made me feel better last night' he replied with a smirk.

'And what about Lauren? Worrying about where you were, hey? Did you think about that? Did you think about how worried she'd be about you?' Joey looked at her and she sighed 'no, I didn't think so' she said as she started to clean his knuckles, leaving Joey to think about what she'd said.

After a few minutes silence Joey took a deep breath. 'She freaked out' Joey said to her quietly.

'Lauren did?' Kat asked him, taking her time with his knuckles, wanting to give him the opportunity to open up to her if he wanted to.

'We sort of had a fight yesterday morning. I mean not really a fight, I just got upset…. Well we both did… it was over nothing, really. I gave her a hug in the kitchen yesterday morning, but she didn't hear me come into the room and tensed up…' he frowned 'Like she always does if I touch her first' he added 'I went out after breakfast and when I came back she was looking through old photographs of the both of us. She was going to make some collages to put up around the flat, to make it more like a home. I know it was her way of saying sorry' he said softly 'she thinks she has to apologise all the time' he said with a small smile, 'I was helping her choose which pictures to use and we were just telling each other stories behind the pictures…..' he trailed off with a smile as he remembered how happy they'd been in that moment, 'we were laughing and joking around and then she kissed me…. And things… sort of progressed from there… I asked her if she was sure and she said she was….' he frowned 'I shouldn't have agreed, I should have waited… I didn't want to hurt her by saying no…' Kat stopped what she was doing to look at Joey.

'What happened?' Kat asked him softly. He was staring straight ahead as he spoke, locked in his own world.

'One minute we were kissing, and then next minute she was screaming at me to get off her….' He said 'she was so scared. She was shaking and crying uncontrollably…..' he trailed off and Kat watched as tears rolled down his cheeks. She could see the pain and heartbreak on his face 'I did that to her…. She was like that because of me…' he whispered, more to himself than Kat.

'No' Kat said shaking her head, she slid her hand into Joey's and squeezed it gently 'it wasn't you, Joey…it was Michael'

'Michael?' Joey frowned, not understanding 'he's in prison'

'He might be in prison, Joey but he's still in here' she prodded the side of her head with her finger 'He raped her Joey. He beat her and he raped her. It's not something that's just going to go away because she wants it to. It's always going to be there….you can be with the man you love with your whole heart and then you close your eyes and the face you see isn't his….it's the man who hurt you in ways you never thought anyone would …' Kat trailed off with a frown 'Just one word, or one touch and it can bring it all back' she trailed off. 'Lauren loves you Joey. She needs you' she told him 'She's over at your flat, thinking her whole world is falling apart again. She's over there thinking she's lost you' Kat licked her lips 'so, you need to go over there and tell her everything is going to be okay. She needs to hear you tell her you're going to be there for her'

Joey sniffed 'what if it's never going to be okay?' he looked at her. She could see the fear in his eyes.

'You just have to hope it will be' she replied. 'Look, Joey I know this is hard for you too, but you need to try and put yourself in her place. Think about what she's feeling, thinking…..' she told him softly. 'I know how she feels' Kat admitted softly and Joey looked at her with a frown 'It's a long story…..' she said trailing off 'but if I can get through it and move on with my life, then Lauren can too. And I'd be happy to talk to Lauren about it if she wanted to….'

'You were raped?' Joey asked her quietly 'I didn't know, Kat…'

'It's not exactly something you bring up as a conversation opener is it, hey?' she said with a sad smile. 'I had an uncle who was a little more familiar than he should've been' she told him, looking down briefly before raising her head to look Joey in the eyes. 'So yeah, I know what she's thinking, what she's feeling. How she thinks somehow what happened to her was her fault. Maybe she encouraged it, asked for it … even deserved it… I know it doesn't make sense, but there's always something there in the back of your mind which makes you think you did something to encourage him, to make him think you wanted it to happen as much as he did' she said licking her lips 'Even when you know you did nothing wrong, those little niggles are still there, poking at you every now and again' she frowned 'Me, I had a constant reminder of what he did' she said.

'What do you mean?' he asked her with a frown.

'I have a daughter' Kat said 'She's 27 now. She lives in Spain with her husband and son' she said to him 'I didn't know I was pregnant until it was too late and I was only thirteen… I guess I was in denial about the whole thing…' she said with a smile 'But Zoe….. Zoe was perfect….such a beautiful little girl…I'm so proud of her…..' Kat's thoughts drifted off as she thought about her daughter 'and Lucas, oh my god, Lucas is adorable…he'll be five next summer, and he looks like Zoe too' she smiled.

'I'm sorry' Joey said to her.

'What for? It wasn't your fault, was it?' she asked him with a smile 'the only good thing that came out of it was Zoe, and that's one thing I don't regret' she told him 'doesn't mean I don't think what Harry did to me wasn't wrong, because it was' she said to him.

'How did you …learn to trust other people?' he asked her.

'It took some time' she said to her 'I spent a long time thinking I was nothing, worthless. I was damaged goods…. Until I met Alfie' she said with a smile 'When I met him everything changed…he was my knight in shining armour, my happy ever after' she told him 'And then I go and screw that up too' she started to pack away the first aid kit.

'What happened?' he asked her.

'Derek happened' Kate replied as she got up 'Now drink your coffee. Go clean yourself up and go home to Lauren'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren let herself back into the flat. Wiping her eyes as she walked into the bedroom, she pulled out a duffle bag from the bottom of the wardrobe and started to pack some of her things. Disappearing into the bathroom, she took a shower and changed her clothes. Lauren picked up her toiletries and carried them into the bedroom, putting them into the duffel bag too. She thought about what else she would need and covered her face, sitting down on the bed, breaking down again. She didn't hear the flat door open, or the set of keys being dropped into the dish. Joey walked quietly to the bedroom, pausing in the doorway. His eyes fell to his bag on the bed and his stomach dropped.

'Babe?' he asked quietly. Lauren sniffed and wiped her face, walking into the bathroom as he walked further into the room. He peered into the bag and saw it was her things packed and not his. He swallowed, turning towards the bathroom as she came out. 'Where are you going?' he asked her.

'To the B&B, to Phil's…back to dads. I don't know' she said quietly, not meeting his gaze.

Joey took a deep breath 'I'm sorry' he told her 'I should've come home last night...I gave my keys to Kat. I asked her to make sure you were okay. By the time I got back to the square, I figured you'd be asleep and I was drunk… I didn't want you to see me like that' he told her. He licked his lips 'Lauren, I'm really sorry about last night I shouldn't have…..' she frowned and looked up at him, seeing his face for the first time.

'Oh my god, Joey!' she exclaimed as she rushed over to him 'What happened?'

'That fight I told you about' he said casually.

'With who?' she frowned 'Mike Tyson!?'

'A few blokes' he said shrugging.

She swallowed 'Have you had someone look at it?'

'Yeah, Kat patched me up' he told her. He saw her red puffy eyes and sighed, reaching out he stroked her cheek lightly with his fingers. 'I'm sorry I didn't come home last night and I'm sorry I didn't want to talk when you came over…my face was a bit of a mess…and I didn't know what to say to you, how to apologise….'

'You don't have anything to apologise for Joey' she told him in surprise. 'It was me, not you, I thought … I thought I was ready…' she told him 'I wanted to be ready. I wanted to be with you…I just….suddenly all I could see was his face… all I could smell was his breath, feel his hands …and I…I couldn't…' she looked down 'I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to lead you on, Joey. I wanted to be with you…' she told him 'I thought I was ready' she repeated. The tears started to roll down her cheeks and he brushed them away with his thumbs, cupping her face gently in his hands.

'Baby, don't cry' he said softly 'please… It was as much my fault as it was yours…' he licked his lips 'I didn't mean to frighten you...'

'No, Joey you didn't' she shook her head 'I'm the one who's damaged goods, Joey…not you' she said, turning away from him and returning to her bag.

**AN: That was quite a chapter hey. At least Lauren and Joey are talking again now and he has a little more insight into how Lauren is feeling, thanks to Kat sharing some details of her past with him. He also knows Lauren thinks she's damaged goods. She's packing her bags, is Joey going to be able to convince her to stay? R&R As always.**


	83. Chapter 83

**AN:- Just a reminder...if you read it ...review it... takes less than 3 seconds! Thank you xx **

**Chapter Eighty Three**

Joey frowned as Lauren walked away from him. She opened her bedside drawer and pulled out some underwear, packing it in the duffle bag 'You'd be better off without me' she told him as she zipped up the bag and picked it up. She walked past him and he grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.

'You're not damaged goods, Lauren, don't talk about yourself like that' he said 'Stay please?' he asked her 'how are we ever going to get us back if you leave?'

Lauren blinked at him in surprise 'you still want me to stay here after last night?'

'Yes, of course I do' he told her, astonished she didn't know that 'why would you think I'd want you to leave? I thought you knew me better than that, Lauren' he said to her, a little hurt. 'We can get through this together, I promise' he said softly 'so give me this' he took her bag from her and linked his fingers through hers, bringing them to his lips to kiss them softly. 'Let's get this unpacked again, hey?'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later they were sitting on the sofa, Lauren took a deep breath and she looked at him 'I'm really sorry, Joey' she told him softly.

'I know you are and you don't need to be. I know you don't think I do, but I understand how difficult it is for you, I told you I was prepared to wait however long it takes and I meant it. I love you, Lauren and I don't want you to think you have to rush into having sex because of me, especially when you aren't ready to. I'm not going to go anywhere. I'm not going off with someone else, because the girl I want is right here' he looked at her 'Promise me, you won't push yourself like that anymore. You have to trust me Lauren. I'm not going to cheat on you because we can't have sex' he told her 'our relationship is more than just sex Lauren, you know that, don't you?' he asked her 'Look, maybe we need to get away from here for a few days, I was thinking about going to see my mum, I know she wants to meet you and I really want you to meet her' he looked at her 'So what do you say? Do you want to meet my mum?' he asked her.

Lauren nodded 'I would love to meet your mum' she told him softly a small smile spread across her face.

'Okay, then I'll make the arrangements' he told her 'you look tired babe why don't you go and get some sleep?' he asked her.

'I'm not sure I can' she told him with a frown 'I want to …' she said as her eyes filled with tears.

'I think we need to make that Doctor's appointment, hey?' he asked her softly, she reluctantly agreed.

Joey pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number. Lauren listened to the conversation, when he'd finished, he hung up and looked at her 'go and find your coat' he told her 'We have an appointment with Doctor Richards in ten minutes' he said softly.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren was still a bit tearful after the appointment with the doctor. Joey was relieved she'd let him go in with her. Doctor Richards had given her a prescription for some sleeping pills and some anti-depressants. He knew he needed to go out and get her prescription filled, but he was reluctant to leave her. She insisted she'd be okay for the 30 minutes it would take him to walk to the chemist and back so he left her, albeit, reluctantly. When he returned she had changed her clothes, wearing a pair of his sweatpants and her favourite t-shirt of his. His robe was draped over her shoulders. He smiled 'See, I'm still in one piece' she told him.

'So I see' he replied as she put the coffee cups she was carrying onto the coffee table.

'You got them?' she asked him and he nodded, holding the bag up to show her. She sighed and crossed over to him. She took the bag and peered inside. 'It's okay, Lauren' he told her softly. 'I called my mum whilst I was waiting for the pills and I've made arrangements for us to go and see her this weekend' he told her.

'Sounds good' she nodded.

'Come here, you' he pulled her into her arms, kissing the top of her head 'we're okay babe' he told her softly 'and you know what else?' he asked her and she looked up at him.

'What?' she asked him softly.

'We're going to be okay. You and me, we'll get through this together' he told her, his eyes gazing deeply into hers. 'Now give me a kiss' he told her. She reached up and gave him a quick peck on the lips 'now, go and take one of your crazy lady pills' he teased with her a grin.

'Hey!' she exclaimed with a laugh as she went into the kitchen to get some water.

**AN: Joey is going to take Lauren to meet his mother. The weekend away is going to do them both the world of good. So when they come back things are going to be better between them? Right? Time for some mentions... to my guest reviewers who do not name themselves.. thank you so much or your reviews...to the named guest reviewers...Megan, Abbey, Melanie, C, Naz, E, Chow, Lily than you for reviewing! G;ad you like it!R&R as always**


	84. Chapter 84

**AN: You read ... you review!**

Chapter Eighty-four

The weekend came and went. Lauren found she actually had a good time, she didn't know if that was because she was away from the Square or because she had finally met Joey's mother. She thought about the weekend away as they rode home on the train.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey's mother had been really nice and although Lauren was initially nervous about meeting her, that faded as soon as Joey led her into his mother's house. Lauren thought Rebecca was really nice and she clearly doted on Joey; that much was for certain. Lauren wondered if his mother knew half the stuff he'd done since being in Walford.

The three of them had gone to the pub for a drink Saturday lunchtime as his mother was going out with friends that evening. Lauren found as the afternoon went on she grew to like Rebecca more and more. She regaled her with tales about Joey when he was a small boy, making her boyfriend blush profusely. When some of his mates came in, he introduced them to Lauren and they tried to get him to go and play pool at the other end of the pub, but he refused, telling them he wanted to stay with Lauren.

Lauren looked at him when Rebecca went to the bar to get more drinks. 'Go and play with your mates, Joey. I know you don't get to see them very often, I'll be fine here with your mum' she told him.

'Are you sure you don't mind?' he asked her. She smiled shaking her head.

'No, I don't mind. Go have fun, relax a little, besides it'll give me chance to get to know your mum a little better' she told him and she leant forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Joey smiled at her.

'Okay' he got up and walked over to his friends.

Rebecca sat back down, pushing a drink towards Lauren 'Joey's gone to play pool with his mates' Lauren explained.

'He's a hustler' she told her 'none of his friends have figured that out yet though' she smiled at Lauren.

'We don't have a pool table in the Vic' Lauren said shaking her head 'Just a piano and dart board'

'Good old Eastend pub hey?' Rebecca asked her.

'Yeah, I guess' Lauren picked up her coke and took a sip. Rebecca noticed Lauren seemed to be tense now Joey had gone and her eyes darted to the door anxiously every time it opened.

'Is everything okay, Lauren?'

'Mmm, yes of course it is' she nodded her head 'so you must have loads more stories about Joey you can tell me now he isn't here' she smiled at her.

'You have no idea the stories I have' she grinned at her son's girlfriend 'about Alice too'

Lauren beamed at her 'I'm all ears'

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey returned an hour later, after playing pool with his friends. He retook his seat next to Lauren who was laughing at something his mother had told her.

'What are you two laughing at?' he asked with a smile, happy to see Lauren having a good time.

'I was just telling Lauren about the first time you discovered your penis' Rebecca said 'how you would just go around tugging on the thing like you expected it to come off'

'Mum!' Joey exclaimed, blushing bright red again.

'You used to play with it so much I started to get worried it would fall off too' Rebecca replied straight faced.

'Oh my god! Mum!' Joey exclaimed again even more embarrassed.

'Yeah he still does that' Lauren replied as she and Rebecca dissolved into a fit of giggles at the look on Joey's sheer horror on Joey's face.

'Okay, I think you two are getting on a little too well' Joey told them both. 'Both of you making fun of me. It's not fair' he said, unable to keep his own laughter inside.

Lauren giggled and lay her head on Joey's shoulder 'I think it's a cute story' she told him quietly.

Joey shook his head 'yeah, well cute or not, it doesn't get shared around' he told her seriously.

'Promise' she replied. She licked her lips and kissed his cheek, 'I need the bathroom' she whispered in his ear.

'Come on then you' he said, standing up. She slid her hand into his and he led her through the crowded pub to the ladies 'I'll be right here, okay?' he asked her. She nodded her head and went into the bathroom.

When they returned to their seats, Rebecca looked at them both curiously. The conversation started up again easily enough, and whilst she talked, she noticed that Joey wouldn't touch Lauren first. Lauren was always the one who initiated the hand holding or touched Joey. She thought this was a bit odd and made a note to speak to Joey about it later.

They left the pub at about 4pm and walked the short distance back to the house. Lauren told them she was going to have a nap and left them both to talk. Joey watched Lauren as she left the room.

'Is everything okay between you and Lauren?' Rebecca asked him.

'Yeah, why?' Joey asked her.

'You just seem a little….' She frowned thinking about what words she wanted to use 'different around her than I expected you to be'

'Different how?' he asked her.

'I don't know…you never touch her first….she always touches you first...'

Joey licked his lips 'And how many of my girlfriends have you met?' he asked her.

'Well one…' Rebecca said with a sigh 'Okay, maybe I'm being silly'

'Yeah, mum you are' Joey nodded his head 'Lauren and I are fine' he told her. They both fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments 'so …do you like her?' he asked her.

Rebecca smiled 'Yes, I like her. She's very pretty; she doesn't look like I thought she would' she told him 'I was expecting red hair'

Joey smiled 'Not this month. She used to dye her hair black but since she came back from rehab, she's let her natural colour grow through' he told her

'And how's she doing…with not drinking?'

'Good' Joey nodded his head 'she's been really strong, focused on not going back down that path' he said with a proud smile 'she talks to me if she feels like drinking, or Phil, he's her sponsor' he added.

'You really love her, don't you?' Rebecca asked him.

'Yeah, mum, I do' he nodded his head 'She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, I'm not going to let her go again' he told her, 'we've moved into a flat in the square together recently'

'Alice mentioned you'd moved out' she nodded her head.

Joey glanced at her 'what else did she mention?' he asked.

'Just that the house seemed emptier now there was only the three of them in there' she said 'did Michael move out too?'

'Yeah, something like that' she watched as her son's jaw twitched at the mention of his name 'I'm going to go check on Lauren' he told her, getting up and walking out of the room.

Rebecca frowned as she watched him leave the room. There was something she didn't know.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Sunday lunchtime, Rebecca cooked them a roast dinner. She was concerned when she saw how little Lauren ate, how she seemed to push her food around her plate. She hadn't seen her eat much the previous day either and she was worried about her son's girlfriend. Even though she'd only met her a day ago, she felt like she'd known Lauren for years.

Joey said something quietly to Lauren, which Rebecca didn't hear and she looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and then looked at Rebecca before she started to eat.

Joey was pleased she'd almost cleared her plate and he shooed her away into the lounge whilst he helped his mother clean up the kitchen.

When they were done, his mother lingered in the kitchen, Joey walked into the lounge to find Lauren looking out of the window.

'You alright, babe?' he asked her.

She turned to look at him as he came in and she held her hand out towards him. He took it and she slid his arms around her waist.

'I really love it here' she told him as she looked up at him 'thank you for bringing me'

'You can come here anytime you want to. You know my mum adores you' he smiled at her 'who wouldn't?' he asked her.

'I wish we didn't have to go back'

Joey nodded his head 'I know' he whispered softly 'but we have to, don't we?'

'I guess' she turned her head to look out of the window briefly, giving a deep sigh. 'I love you so much, Joey… you know that, right?' she asked him.

'I know' he nodded his head as she circled her arms around his neck. 'I love you too, babe' he said. He hugged her tightly and he felt her lips against his cheek. 'If you want to we can stay tonight? I don't have work, we could go back tomorrow instead?'

Lauren pulled back to look at him, he missed the contact immediately 'Really?' she asked him,

'Yep' he nodded with a smile.

'I'd like to stay another night' she told him 'if it's okay with your mum'

'Course it will be' he smiled at her.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren glanced up at Joey who was dozing on the train ride back from his mother's. She smiled at him. He'd been so good to her over the past few weeks, longer really. He was so patient and gentle with her. Especially after Sunday night, when Lauren said she thought they should try to have sex again. She remembered the look of fear in Joey's eyes and the feeling of rejection as he said no, but then he more than made up for it with his words and his kisses.

'We should try, Joey' she'd whispered softly.

'It's barely been a week since we last tried' he told her softly. Her eyes flickered down to his t-shirt covered chest 'hey, you know I want to' he said to her 'I just… I don't want you to keep pushing yourself like this. When we have sex it has to be because you're ready to, not because you think it's what I need. I'm content to just lie, with you like this' he told her. She looked up at him.

'I hate the fact he's taken this away from us too' she said to him.

'I know you do' he told her 'but you and I both know we have a great sex life babe, that we are so good together'

'Had' she sighed 'past tense'

'And we will again, when it's the right time' he tilted her chin with his fingers.

'I just don't want you to be frustrated all the time around me'

'Baby, I'm not' he shook his head 'It feels nice…just to feel' he told her 'you know you still turn me on, that is never ever going to change, even when you're 85, all wrinkly, with no teeth…I'm still going to fancy you' he told her 'you'll still turn me on'

'Promise?' she asked him.

'Yes, I promise' he nodded his head, 'come here, you silly thing' he drew her into a soft kiss, 'we can do this for a while?' he asked her.

She nodded her head 'Kissing's good' she replied, moving closer to him.

She was pulled out of her daydream as the train pulled into Walford. 'Joey' she nudged him gently. 'We're back' she said.

He opened his eyes and rubbed his face 'Already?'

'Mmhmm' she said as she stood up. She picked up her bag and Joey's and they made their way off the tube.

Joey put his arm around her shoulders as they walked through the square. People were still looking at them, at her. She felt self-conscious, uncomfortable. She tensed up slightly and felt Joey squeeze her shoulders. She looked up at him and he smiled at her. Lauren couldn't help smiling back. She was with Joey and because of that, she knew everything was going to be okay. Joey felt the tension ebb out of her body again. She'd been relaxed and at ease at his mum's and he'd hoped this would last when they returned to Walford. He knew everything would only get better from hereon in.

'Lauren!' she heard her name being called and they stopped and turned to see Janine coming out of the café. 'Just the person I've been looking for' she said as she walked over them, wheeling Scarlett in the pushchair.

'Me? Why?' Lauren frowned confused.

'I need to talk to you about the gym'

Joey felt the tension return to Lauren's body and he sighed.

**AN: After an enjoyable few days away, Lauren and Joey return to Walford with a bang! Just what reason exactly does Janine need to talk to Lauren about the gym for? R&R as always **


	85. Chapter 85

**AN: If you read it….then review it!**

**Please note there are graphic/distressing scenes in this story….**

**Chapter Eighty-five**

Lauren blinked at Janine 'Excuse me?' she asked her.

'I went to see Michael and asked him what he wanted to do about the gym and he told me to give it to you' she told her 'I've had my solicitor draw up papers and Michael has signed them. All you have to do is sign them and the gym is yours' she told her.

Lauren blinked at her, her mouth opening and closing. She wasn't sure she'd just heard what Janine had said correctly.

'The gym?' she asked her 'he's given me the gym?' Lauren repeated, frowning.

'Yes. So you can do whatever you like with it. Keep it as a boxing gym, change it into something else….. Whatever you want' Janine said with a smile.

Joey knew Janine was trying to help but he also knew this wasn't the right way to go about it and had probably set Lauren back even further.

'I have to go' Lauren frowned, moving away from Joey as she felt her eyes sting with tears.

'Lauren wait! What do you want me to do with the gym? The papers?' Janine called after her.

'Burn them…along with the gym' she shouted back over her shoulder.

Janine frowned 'I …I was only trying to help' she said to Joey.

'I know. Can you give me the papers?' he asked her.

'Sure' she pulled them out of her bag and handed them to him.

'I'll talk to her' Joey said softly.

'I'm really sorry Joey …' Janine told him. He nodded his head and went after Lauren.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

He found her already back at the flat. She was pacing the floor as he went inside, he picked up her bag from where she'd dropped it in the middle of the room and carried it through with his to the bedroom. He put the papers from Janine in his bedside drawer and took a deep breath before he went to speak to Lauren.

He walked back into the lounge and looked at Lauren 'Do you want a coffee?' he asked her.

'Can you believe Janine? Even Michael… thinking I'd want to have the gym after what he did to me in there' she frowned at him.

'Janine was just trying to help' he said softly 'maybe Michael feels guilty'

'I don't really care about how Michael feels in all of this' she snapped at him angrily 'he should feel fucking guilty after what he did to me'

Joey took a breath 'Babe…' he put his hands on her shoulders, running them down her arms to try to calm her down but she wasn't having any of it 'maybe you could sell the gym, make a bit of money...'

'Sell it?' she looked at him with a frown, smacking his hands away from her 'you want me to sell the place where he beat and raped me? Where he hit me so hard he knocked me out? Where he ripped my clothes off me, ripped my underwear off me…where he grabbed my ankle and dragged me back to him when I was trying to crawl away? He raped me…more than once Joey…. Did you know that?' Her voice was hard and Joey knew she meant what she was saying to hurt and it did.

Joey paled, that detail wasn't in the report he'd seen from Phil's solicitor. All the documents in there were before Lauren had made her statement.

'Lauren …..Stop' he reached for her again and she hit him on the chest with the palms of her hands and then pushed him away roughly.

'No! You wanted to know Joey ….what he did to me…you wanted me to tell you…he held his hand over my mouth as he raped me, so I couldn't scream for help. The tears were rolling down my face but he didn't care. He told me he knew I liked it rough because he'd seen me with you…' she was crying hard now, but these weren't tears of self-pity, these were tears of anger. He could see the anger burning in her eyes and it scared him a little. 'He hurt me Joey… every time he moved inside me, he hurt me, he tore me, he made me bleed…you have no idea how much he hurt me, and I couldn't do anything to get him to stop, to get him off me. I pushed him, I scratched his face, his back but that just seemed to spur him on. He said the blood made it easier for him…' she frowned as she remembered, 'he came quickly the first time' she whispered softly, brushing her tears away from her eyes '…the second time it took him longer…' Joey closed at his eyes as she told him, 'he told me he wanted to know I was enjoying it… if I was enjoying being with a real man instead of a boy….instead of you…he said you didn't deserve to be with me, to have sex with me…that he was the only one who could treat me the way I deserved to be treated…. He told me…he told me… that he...' Lauren said and she broke down, covering her hands with her face. Joey wanted to comfort her, but he knew she wouldn't let him touch her. All he could do was watch her, feeling his heart breaking for her as he did so. Eventually she removed her hands from her face 'he told me he loved me…as he was raping me…he kept saying it over and over again...' She frowned 'he said when we were together he would treat me like a princess… Like a queen….' She sniffed as she trailed off with a frown and sat down on the sofa. Joey didn't say anything, he knew she needed to tell him, to get this off her chest. He moved across to sit down beside her, careful not to touch her. She wiped her tears away again. When she started talking again her voice was very quiet, as if she'd forgotten Joey was even there, as if she was talking out loud to herself. 'When he finished… He moved away from me. I lay there on the floor, looking at the ceiling. He talked for a bit, telling me I was everything he'd imagined I would be…better even…then he stopped talking and I thought he'd had fallen asleep, or he'd passed out with all the scotch he'd drunk. I rolled onto my stomach and started to crawl away. I thought if I could get to the stairs I'd be able to get out of the gym, go to the club…get some help, find you…but he must've heard me moving and he grabbed my ankle. He dragged me back along the floor…I screamed…but no one heard, no one came…I begged him to stop…so many times… but he wouldn't…he didn't last long that time...' she trailed off and closed her eyes 'When he was done, he got up and told me he'd see me at home later….I don't know how long I lay there after he left. I was so scared he hadn't really gone or that he'd come back…I heard people leaving the club…and then it went quiet…' she trailed off and she looked at Joey. She realised he was crying as much as she was.

She misunderstood his tears. She didn't want his pity.

She stood up and fled the room.

Joey didn't move, he just sat there, rooted to the spot as he replayed what she'd told him over and over in his head.

**AN: I know that this chapter is a bit hard to read… but now Joey knows exactly what Lauren went through. She thinks his tears are tears of pity but I'm pretty sure they're weren't. What will happen now? R&R as always **


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter Eighty-Six**

She ran through the square, through the market, barrelling straight into Kat as Joey had done a few days earlier.

'Woah, hey where's the fire!' she said, catching one look at her face she put her arm around her and led her towards number 23. Kat sat her down on the sofa, grabbing the tissues off the side before sitting next to her, 'what's happened?' she asked her 'didn't your visit with Joey's mum go well?'

Lauren wiped her eyes and she blew her nose 'The visit was fine, great even' she said to her 'We even stayed an extra night' she licked her lips and took a deep breath 'Janine….Janine went to see Michael…he….he's given me the gym' she told her.

'He's done what?' Kat asked her incredulously 'Seriously?' Lauren nodded her head 'and what exactly did he do that for?'

I don't know… I didn't stop long enough to find out'

'Where's Joey?'

'Back at the flat' she told her with a sniff 'I told him…I told him what Michael did to me…all the sordid details…' She looked up at Kat… 'You should have seen his face… he looked disgusted…' she started to cry again.

'Hey, come on, I'm sure if he looked disgusted, it wasn't with you. Think about it, this happened close to the club….he walked past the gym without knowing what had happened…that you were inside. He's got to be feeling a lot of guilt about that… getting home finding you weren't there. Thinking you were in the bathroom or had gone for a run. He just went to sleep, and I know he feels bad about that. It's going to be okay, Lauren' Kat told her 'I promise you, now, let me call Joey, tell him where you are okay, I bet he's worried about you. Then you and I are going to have a little chat, okay?'

'Okay' Lauren nodded, wiping her eyes again.

Kat got up and picked up the phone dialling Joey's number 'It's Kat, Lauren's with me, we're over at number 23' she told him when he answered.

'Is she okay?' he asked her, his voice raw with the tears he'd shed.

'She's upset, but I'll talk to her and then I'll being her home, okay?' she asked him.

'Okay, thanks' he said softly.

'Are you okay?' she asked him 'she told me she told you what Michael did to her' Kat said to him. There was a long silence at the other end of the phone before Joey spoke,

'Yeah…I guess…I just…I know I kept pushing her to tell me…she was so angry and then she just…it was like I wasn't even in the room, as though she was having a conversation with someone else...' he said softly 'I didn't know…it was more than once, Kat…..'

Kat closed her eyes briefly before poking her head through the door to look at Lauren. 'Do you want to talk to her?'

'Yeah, I do. But I'm not sure she'll want to talk to me, and the way she took off… I...' he trailed off.

'Hold on' she said, she pressed the phone against her shoulder. 'Lauren?' she said, walking into the lounge. 'I've got Joey on the phone, I told him you're here, but I think he could do with hearing your voice' she told her, Lauren nodded and Kat handed her the phone.

'Joey?' her broken voice whispered.

'Hey babe' he replied, his voice just as broken as hers, 'I know you think you made a mistake in telling me the details, but you didn't. I want you to know how proud I am of you, for not going back on the drink after everything that happened. And I want you to know I love you and I'll be waiting here for you when you come back. And maybe when you do come back you can give me one of your hugs?' he asked her 'and tell me that you love me, because sometimes I need to hear it too' he told her softly, she heard him sniff and knew he was still crying.

'I love you too, Joey… I'm sorry I...'

'Don't be honey. You talk to Kat, okay and then you come back home to me. I'll cook you dinner tonight, okay?'

'I'd like that….I'll see you soon'

'Yeah, you will' he told her. She handed the phone back to Kat. Lauren was vaguely aware Kat was talking to Joey but she drowned out the conversation. The next thing she knew Kat was sitting beside her and a steaming hot cup of coffee was sitting in front of her on the coffee table.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Kat took a breath and looked at Lauren. 'Did Joey tell you what I told him?' she asked her 'about what happened to me when I was a kid?' Lauren shook her head, 'You know I come from a big family right?' she asked her, Lauren nodded 'dad lost his job. He'd been working there for nearly 10 years and then out of the blue, he was fired, not because he'd done anything wrong but because they were downsizing, or something like that' she said to her 'I was only 10 so I didn't really understand things. We lost the house we were living in and we moved in to his brother's house…Uncle Harry' she said and picked up her coffee and she took a sip. 'I loved Uncle Harry. Out of all my sisters, I was his favourite. He used to take me out, buy me sweets, clothes. We had a great time' Kat said 'But then…things changed… Uncle Harry started to come into my room at night. At first I didn't know what he was doing, he would just lie with me on my bed and cuddle me, talk to me. He'd tell me I was his special girl…' Kat took a breath 'then he would touch me…tell me I had to keep it a secret. He said I couldn't tell anyone what he was doing, our relationship was special….' She trailed off 'I didn't realise at the time that what he was doing was wrong. He convinced me I wanted him to do the things he was doing to me. That I liked them, I enjoyed them…I remember the first time he had sex with me, I was 12 years old…I hated every single second of it...The feel of him on top of me, his hand over my mouth to stop me from crying out…. How he smelt...How much it hurt.' Kat swallowed and looked at Lauren 'I know it's not the same as what you went through…..but I understand how you feel and it took me a long time to trust another man properly….. I used to sleep around a lot, I thought it that was what I had to do….I didn't really enjoy sex a lot…I just knew I was good at it….' she took another sip of coffee. 'Then I met Alfie' she said with a fond smile as she thought of her husband 'I saw him and my heart fluttered. I had butterflies in my stomach and I couldn't stop thinking about him. I knew he'd never want me, not when he knew about my past. But I was wrong. He did. He told me he loved me and ….well, you know the rest' she told Lauren 'and then I go and screw it all up by sleeping with Derek' she said and Lauren looked at her.

'I never got that' Lauren said to her 'I mean anyone could see how much you and Alfie loved each other. I don't understand how…..why you would be with Derek?' Lauren asked her 'he was hardly …' she trailed off unable to find the words to describe him.

'It's my fault. I pressed the self-destruct button. It's like I'm programmed somehow to ruin anything good that happens in my life and then blame Uncle Harry for it' she said 'but the truth is, it was down to me' she told Lauren softly.

Lauren nodded her head 'I get it.' she told Kat. 'Like with my drinking. I know Joey felt guilty and he felt he was somehow responsible for what happened to me. And yes, I drank more when he broke up with me but it wasn't his fault. It was mine. I ruined what we had because it was good' she said bitterly 'Lauren Branning doesn't get happy endings'

'You and me, we're alike aren't we, hey?' Kat said 'I think that's why we get on so well together' she told Lauren 'Kindred spirits as my Nan would say' Kat licked her lips and she shifted in her seat to look at Lauren, she reached out and took her hands in hers squeezing gently. 'Joey told me Michael raped you more than once'

Lauren nodded her head 'Three times' she told her looking down, feeling ashamed.

'It wasn't your fault, Lauren' Kat told her 'you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't encourage him. You didn't act in a way to make him think you wanted it' she told her. 'You're both the victims here, okay. You and Joey…. Don't let what you two have be taken away by Michael' she told her 'It's going to take time for you to be you again'

Lauren nodded her head 'I know, I keep trying to push myself…and I keep hurting Joey in the process' she said, looking down 'I love him so much Kat and I don't want to keep hurting him. I don't want to lose him' she sniffed as another bout of tears came on. She reached for another tissue and wiped her eyes.

'You and Joey are going to be okay' Kat told her 'Joey's there for you, he understands more than you think he does. He doesn't pity you, Lauren. He's not disgusted with you. He loves you… unconditionally. He's one of the good ones, like Alfie' she told her with a smile.

Lauren nodded her head 'You still love him, don't you? Alfie?'

Kat nodded her head 'Always will' she replied with a sad smile.

Lauren took a deep breath and let it out slowly 'Do you think you two will ever get back together?' she asked her.

'I well and truly burnt that bridge, didn't I, hey?' Kat said, shaking her head.

'What happened… with you and Harry?' Lauren asked her 'When did he stop?'

'When I told him I was pregnant' she told her 'When I threatened to tell mum and dad what he'd been doing to me, threatened to go to the police'

Lauren's eyes went wide 'You were pregnant?'

'Yeah, I had a little girl, Zoe' Kat smiled 'she's married with a son of her own now. They live in Spain' she said proudly. Kat looked at Lauren, seeing the worried look on her face 'Are you okay?' she frowned at her 'Lauren, are you pregnant?' she asked her.

'I don't know' Lauren replied quietly.

'When was your last period?'

'A while' she replied 'I was taking a break from the pill, Joey and I were using condoms...mostly' she trailed off.

'Have you taken a test?' Lauren shook her head. 'Okay. You stay here and I'll go and get some' she told her softly.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Fifteen minutes later Lauren was sitting on the edge of the bath waiting for the results of her pregnancy test. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening her eyes to look at the little plastic stick in her hand. The tiny plastic stick felt like a lead weight in her hand, she read the result and the stick tumbled to the floor, clattering on the tiles.

The test was positive.

**AN: Kat and Lauren had a chat and their friendship has grown closer. At least Lauren knows she has someone who understands what she is thinking and feeling. And things between her and Joey are okay… well there were….now Lauren is pregnant. What's going to happen now? What is she going to do? And how is Joey going to react? R&R as always **


	87. Chapter 87

**Chapter Eighty-Seven**

Lauren was in a daze when she let herself back into the flat. She'd stayed at Kat's for another hour and had cried her heart out. There was nothing Kat could do or say to offer Lauren any comfort, so all she did was hold her. Kat was worried about Lauren, worried what she would do. Part of her wanted to contact Joey before Lauren got back to tell him what had happened, but she knew this was something Lauren had to tell him for herself.

Lauren had been through so much already and Kat's heart broke for her. She left the house and walked into the Vic.Alfie was behind the bar.

'Shouldn't you be on the stall?' he asked her.

'B's covering' Kat said 'I'll have a double G&T, please' she told him. Alfie got her a drink and put it down on the bar, she picked it up and down it in one, 'same again please'

'Is everything okay?' he asked her as he got her another drink.

'I've been with Lauren' Kat said to him 'She's just 19 years old and she's been through so much in her life already. She's an alcoholic, she' been to rehab. She was raped repeatedly….I told her about Harry. I thought it might help her to know someone else has been through something similar. That there's someone who understands how she feels…..I think I may have made things worse'

'I'm sure you didn't, Kat' Alfie said, leaning down on the bar so he was level with her 'I'm sure you helped her more than you think'

'He's given her the gym' Kat said to him 'He thought, as an apology, he would give her the gym. The place he spent hours…' she trailed off and drained her glass again.

'Kat…' Alfie said softly, reaching across the bar to cover her hand with his 'It wasn't your fault either, you know' he told her softly.

'I know' Kat said, nodding her head 'I feel so bad for her, you know, and Joey too'

'I know' he squeezed her hand 'why don't you come upstairs and see Tommy for a bit, hey?' he asked her. She smiled and nodded, following him upstairs.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren walked back into the flat. Joey came into the room from the kitchen, having heard the door open. 'Hey' he said softly. She ran across the room and he caught her in his arms 'Babe…?' He murmured softly as she burst into tears again. He rubbed her back gently with his hands, trying to soothe her. He kissed the top of her head, rocking her gently. He sighed, closing his eyes.

It was a long time before she stopped crying and pulled away to look up at him, her eyes were red and swollen. At that moment, Joey felt so helpless. He loved her with all his heart and wished he could do something to take away her pain, to help her. He wasn't prepared for the next words that left her lips.

'Joey… I'm pregnant' she whispered softly.

'What?' he frowned at her 'are you sure?'

'I took some tests at Kat's' she told him 'I'm late Joey…really late, I thought it was because of stress….but it's not…I'm pregnant'

Joey looked at her and smiled 'babe, that's great news' he said to her 'I know it wasn't planned, but we can make it work' he tried to pull her into a hug but she pushed him away, shaking her head.

'I'm not keeping it, Joey' she shook her head, shocked he thought she was.

'What do you mean?' He frowned at her.

'Exactly what I said. I'm not keeping this baby' she told him firmly.

'Lauren, don't you think we need to talk about this?' he asked her 'Make the decision together?' he asked her 'Look, I know we haven't got much money, but we can make it work. We can bring up a baby together, our baby' he told her.

'It might not be yours, Joey! It might be his!' she shouted at him 'And I'm not going to have his baby' she shook her head 'and there's nothing you can do or say that's going to change my mind' she told him.

'You don't know it's his, it could be mine' he said softly, trying to reason with her.

'I'm not going to take that chance' she licked her lips 'I'm getting rid of this baby, Joey. The decision has been made and there's nothing you can do or say that's going to change my mind' she told him with a frown.

**AN: As if things couldn't get any worse Lauren discovers that she's pregnant. It could be Joey's or it could be Michaels. Lauren's already made up her mind that it's Michaels and she's adamant she isn't going to keep it. Poor Joey, finding out he could be a father only to have the rug pulled from under his feet when Lauren announces she isn't going to keep it. R&R as always **


	88. Chapter 88

**Chapter Eighty eight**

**AN: You read it ... you review it! **

Lauren got up early the next morning, leaving Joey sleeping in their bed. She went to the café for a coffee. She didn't want to be at the flat when Joey woke up. She knew he'd want to have another conversation or argument about the baby and Lauren had already made up her mind. She wasn't going to keep it.

Lauren got the impression Joey seemed to think she was being unreasonable, selfish and inconsiderate about the decision she'd made. He seemed to think she should at least consider the baby could be his. But what Joey didn't seem to grasp was there was a chance the baby could be Michael's and there was no way Lauren was going to have _his_ baby. A constant reminder of what he'd done to her.

Lauren knew if she was 100% certain this was Joey's baby she would have made a different decision, but she wasn't. Therefore the decision was made. The only decision she could make. She finished her coffee and went to find Lucy.

She wrapped her arms around herself and walked into Janine's office.

'Lauren' Janine said surprised 'have you come to give me the signed papers back?

'What?' Lauren frowned, confused.

'The papers about the gym? I gave them to Joey' she said.

'No' Lauren shook her head 'I came to see Lucy' she told Janine, with a frown.

'She's working' Janine replied, a little snappishly, before going back to her paperwork.

'It's important, Janine' she told her. Janine looked up at her and something on Lauren's face made the retort about "time being money" die on her lips.

'Alright' she said 'She's out the back with Danny'

'Thank you' Lauren walked through to the back and found Lucy and Danny talking 'Lucy?' Lauren said softly.

Lucy turned around 'Lauren' she said surprised to see her 'What can I do for you?'

'I need to talk to you about something…in private' she told her.

Lucy frowned 'What? Are we friends all of a sudden?'

'I wouldn't be here if I had anyone else I could talk to about this' Lauren looked at her 'It'll only take 5 minutes'

'Okay, so what do you want?' Lucy sat down on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest.

Lauren glanced at Danny and then back at Lucy 'It's sort of personal' Lauren told her.

'I'll leave you to it' Danny said and he walked out of the room.

'Well, come on then, what is it?' Lucy frowned at her.

Lauren took a deep breath and she looked down 'Do you have the number of the clinic you went to, the one I took you too?' she asked her.

Lucy frowned 'What do you need that for?' she asked her, 'Lauren?

'Do you have the details or not?' Lauren snapped at her.

'It's at home' Lucy said to her with a frown 'Lauren?' she slid off the table and walked over to her 'come on, we'll go and get it now' she told her.

'Thanks' Lauren said following Lucy out of the office.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren sat on the sofa whilst Lucy got the number from upstairs. She walked back into the room and handed it to her.

'Does Joey know?' Lucy asked her, Lauren nodded 'Is he going with you?'

'No' Lauren told her 'He wants me to keep it'

'And you don't want to?' Lucy asked her softly.

'It's complicated, Lucy' Lauren replied with a sigh 'thanks for this' she held the card up and then pushed it into her pocket.

'Look, Lauren if you want someone to go with you… you have my number'

'Thanks Lucy' she said, sniffing and wiping a tear away.

'Lauren, I know this isn't really any of my business and we haven't really been friends for a while….but if you want to talk about this…'

'Everything's just a mess…..' Lauren said quietly 'Joey was so excited when I told him' she said with a frown 'he said we could make things work'

'So it's Joey's baby?' Lucy asked her a little confused.

'That's just it Lucy, I don't know… it could be….it could be Michael's…and I can't have his…' she shook her head, covering her face with her hands as she burst into tears.

'Oh god, Lauren' Lucy said 'Come here' she put her arms around her as Lauren cried harder 'Ssh, it's going to be okay Lauren, we'll take care of things and then you and Joey can move on' she told her.

'Joey won't get over this' Lauren shook her head 'I know he won't'

'Of course he will, he loves you' Lucy told her 'He was miserable the whole time you were in Rehab' she said 'he missed you so much. We all did. What happened to you before, was all my fault. I shouldn't have spiked your drinks. I shouldn't have riled you up like that, pretended Joey and I were together…I'm really sorry I was such a terrible friend to you. I want to make it up to you if you'll let me' she said to her softly 'Come on, don't cry. Do you want me to call Joey?'

'No' she shook her head with a sniff and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand 'I have to go … thank you for the number' Lauren got up and walked to the door.

'Do you want me to call them for you, make an appointment?' Lucy offered.

Lauren turned to look at her and nodded her head sadly, as more tears rolled down her cheeks. She held the card out to Lucy with shaking hands.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey was about to leave when the flat door opened and Lauren came in. 'Where have you been, babe? I've been so worried about you' he said softly.

'Sorry, I just, I needed some air, some time to think' she told him as she walked in. Walking through to the bedroom, she took her coat off, dropping it onto the bed with a sigh. Joey followed her.

'Have you changed your mind?' he asked her.

'No' she closed her eyes 'I went to see Lucy, to get the details of the clinic she went to' Joey closed his eyes 'she made an appointment for me for the day after tomorrow' she told him 'she's going to come with me'

'You don't want me to go with you?' he asked her.

'I didn't think you'd want to' she said, sitting down on the bed. Joey crossed the room and sat down next to her.

'Well, I'm not going to let you go through this on your own am I, hey?' he asked her, sliding his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. She turned her face towards his and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'I'll go with you, okay?'

'I'm sorry, Joey' she told him, raising her head to look at him 'You know if I thought this baby was yours…'

'I know' he nodded his head 'I've been thinking, we've plenty of time to have a baby together don't we, hey?' he asked her, giving her a small smile 'a few years from now, maybe'

'Yeah' she smiled but he saw it didn't reach her eyes. She lay her head on his shoulder and he kissed her hair softly.

'It's going to be okay Lauren, I'm going to take care of you' he told her

**AN: Well the appointment has been made and Joey has come to the decision to support Lauren. How sad for both of them? Things have to start looking up for the couple soon right? R&R as always **


	89. Chapter 89

**Chapter Eighty Nine**

**AN: You read...you review it..**

Michael was given a tabard and led into the visitor's room. He took a seat and wondered what Janine wanted this time. The last time she was here she'd told Michael he had to sign the gym over to Lauren, and he had. He wondered what else she thought Lauren deserved now.

The gate was opened and the visitors started to file in. He searched through the stream of people for Janine. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw a familiar face making their way to his table.

The visitor paused as they looked at him and then the chair was pulled out as they sat down.

He swallowed and had the decency to look ashamed, guilty. He was the first to speak.

'You're the last person I thought I'd see here' he said.

'I just wanted to see you face to face. To look you in the eye and ask you why?'

Michael nodded his head 'I get that. You want answers' he said and he licked his lips 'I don't know what to tell you. I was jealous. I wanted her, so I took her' he shrugged casually 'I took what I wanted'

'She's pregnant' Joey told him.

'Well, congratulations' Michael said giving him a smile 'I'm sure you'll make a much better father than Derek did'

'She's not keeping it' Joey told him 'She's convinced it's yours' Michael paled. Joey leant forward 'She despises you that much she won't even give your child a chance to even be born… How many kids have you lost now? Three?' he said and he licked his lips 'That's got to sting a bit' Joey told him. He glanced around the room and someone he knew caught his eye, he nodded his head once. 'You told me once Derek Branning knew how to take care of business' Joey said to Michael quietly 'you said Derek Branning was a man you didn't cross' he said. Michael turned his head to see who Joey was looking at. He swallowed when he recognised another cellmate from his wing. 'Turns out, all it took was for me to whisper in the right ear about what'd happened to my girlfriend. Drop into the conversation I was Derek Branning's son and there was a lot of interest in someone helping me out with a thing or two. Course it can't be traced back to me, none of it can…I'd be very, very careful from now on, Michael…Keep one eye open when you sleep, don't turn your back on anyone in the shower… You never know what could happen' he said in a low threatening voice.

'I thought you said you weren't anything like Derek Branning' Michael said to him, turning his attention back to Joey.

'You're going to regret what you did to Lauren' he told him 'Every…Single…Second…Of…It.' Joey said in a low whisper 'and then some'

'You don't scare me' Michael said with false bravado. Joey laughed quietly.

'I don't need to. I've got other people in here who'll do that for me' he said to him, getting up. Michael watched him walk out of the visitor's room, with a worried frown.

Michael was shaken by the threat he'd just received. He stood up, walking past the table of the man Joey had nodded at earlier 'Alright, Moon, me and the boys will be paying you a visit later, think we need to have a little chat about a few things don't you?' the man said in a quiet voice.

Michael closed in eyes as he walked out of the room.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

When Joey returned to the flat he found it empty. He knew he was on time to take Lauren to the clinic and wondered where she was. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled her number. He could hear the familiar ringtone in the flat. He followed the sound, frowning when he found it by the bathroom sink. He saw blood on the floor and panicked. He dialled Lucy's number but there was no answer. He tried Kat but she hadn't seen Lauren. There was nothing else he could do but wait and worry.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

A couple of hours later the door opened and Lauren walked in. She looked pale and he could see she'd been crying. 'Where have you been Lauren?' he asked her 'We've missed the appointment at the clinic…..' he trailed off 'what's wrong?'

'We don't need the appointment at the clinic anymore. I'm having a miscarriage' she told him quietly.

Joey blinked at her, his eyes filling with tears 'Can I do anything? Do you need anything?'

She shook her head 'I think I'm just going to lie down' she whispered. He followed her through to the bedroom. She sat down on the bed, bending over to take off her boots.

'Let me do that' Joey knelt down in front of her and she sat up again. He took her boots off, and then her coat. He pulled back the covers and she climbed into the bed. 'I'll make you some tea'

'Will you just stay with me?' she looked up at him, her big brown eyes filled with sadness and pain. He licked his lips and nodded his head.

'Yeah, of course I will' he toed off his shoes, carefully climbing over her and getting into bed beside her. She rolled over and laid her head on his chest 'Do you need any painkillers?' He asked her softly.

'They gave me some at the hospital' she told him quietly.

'Are you sure you shouldn't still be there?' he asked in concern.

'They said there was nothing else they could do. I have to go back if I don't stop bleeding in a couple of days or if the pain gets any worse' she sniffed.

'Why didn't you call me, hey?' he said to her 'I would've come home'

'I did try but your phone was off' she replied. Joey closed his eyes, kissing her hair as he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. The only time he turned his phone off was when he was in the prison seeing Michael. Yet again he hadn't been there when she needed him. He'd let her down again.

'I'm sorry' he told her quietly. 'I should've been here'

'Where were you?' she asked him.

'I was at the club, probably down in the cellar, it's really bad reception there' he lied.

She nodded her head 'It's okay' she told him softly 'there wouldn't have been much you could've done anyway' she said with a shrug.

'I could've at least been there for you when you needed me this time' he said with a frown, verbalising his earlier thought 'I can't seem to get it right, can I?' he asked her with a sigh. 'I'm always in the wrong place at the wrong time'

She raised her head, looking up at him 'you're here now Joey, that's what matters' she said softly, stroking his cheek tenderly with her hand 'I haven't really thanked you have I? For everything you've done for me?' she asked him 'I really do appreciate everything you've done, all you do. Even though I know I don't always show it. I don't know how I would've got through the last few months without you' she told him quietly 'I'd probably be drunk somewhere…..or lying dead in a gutter'

'Don't say that' he shook his head, capturing her hand with his. He lifted it to his mouth and pressed his lips against it 'don't ever say that, Lauren' he frowned at her.

'We're going to be okay, aren't we, Joey? You and me?' she asked him in a small voice.

For the first time in a long time Joey wasn't sure of the answer, but he smiled at her, nodding his head. 'Yeah, babe we're going to be fine' he told her 'better than fine'

'I love you' she whispered, moving forward and kissing lips, just a brief soft kiss.

'I love you too, Lauren' he answered her as she lay her head down on his chest again, closing her eyes.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey lay awake as Lauren slept. She clung to him tightly in her sleep, whimpering every now and again. At first he thought it was because she was pain, but then he heard her say Michael's name and he knew she was dreaming. He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead, whispered to her that he was there and she was okay, the whimpering stopped after he spoke. Lauren sighed and snuggled closer to him.

Joey watched her as she slept, taking in her features and seeing the strain over her whole face. It was time for him to admit it. In his heart Joey knew being in Walford wasn't helping Lauren. He knew she needed to leave, even if it was just for a few weeks. She needed time to heal. To process everything she had been through, the miscarriage being just the latest in a long line of things she'd had to deal with.

He knew he wouldn't be able to convince her to leave. Not on his own.

He was also worried about going back to work tomorrow. He didn't want to leave her in the flat on her own. Perhaps he would go and see Max tomorrow, see if he'd come over and keep Lauren company for a few hours. In the meantime, he would figure out a way to broach the subject of Lauren taking some time away from the square. Maybe even away from him.

**AN: Lauren's lost the baby and she's upset about it. Poor Lauren. But Joey has been there for her, he's been strong and has supported her and comforted her. He knows she needs to take some time for herself. Is he going to be able to convince her to go? Will Max help him? Read onto find out? R&R as always **


	90. Chapter 90

**Chapter Ninety**

**AN: IF you read it then you need to review it! **

The next morning, Joey spoke to Phil to get some more time off. He explained what had happened with Lauren and Phil was very understanding and told Joey he could have paid time off for a couple of weeks.

Joey was grateful and spent the time trying to get Lauren back to the stage where he felt he could leave her. He knew the miscarriage had set her back a bit. She was very clingy, not that he minded her needing him, that wasn't what he was concerned about. He was concerned about Lauren, about her state of mind and about her in general.

Joey knew Phil couldn't keep paying him for not working and at some point he was going to have to go back to work and leave Lauren alone in the flat. He wasn't concerned about her drinking, she would have to leave the flat first, which was something she was reluctant to do. And he made sure there was no alcohol in the home they shared.

Finally, the day had come for Joey to return to work. He was up early making breakfast and heard Lauren come out of the bathroom. He put some eggs and toast on a plate for her and poured her a coffee. He heard her footsteps as she padded barefoot into the kitchen wearing a robe. She took a deep breath and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

'Something smells good' she said 'and it's not you' she wrinkled her nose, 'you stink…have you been for a run?' she asked him, letting him go and walking to the table, sliding into a chair.

'Yep, but someone was in the shower when I got back. Is there any hot water left?'

'A little…maybe' she said sheepishly 'sorry.'

'It's okay, breakfast is served' he said, putting a plate and cup in front of her.

'You're really spoiling me, Joey' she said, reaching for her coffee and taking a sip.

'That's what boyfriends do for their girlfriends, isn't it? Spoil them?' he asked her from behind her. She tilted her head back and looked up at him, He smiled and bent down, giving her a quick kiss 'even though sometimes she doesn't always deserve it, because her boyfriend has to take too many cold showers' he teased her as he walked towards the bathroom.

Lauren blinked and swallowed, reading too much into his words. She ate her breakfast and then cleared up the plates. She walked back into the bedroom and undid her robe just as Joey opened the bathroom door. They both stared at each other for a few seconds.

'Sorry babe. I didn't know you were in here' Joey said as Lauren blushed, closing her eyes, quickly turning her back on him. She did up her robe.

'No, sorry. It's my fault' she told him. She turned to look at him, 'I'll let you finish' she said and fled into the lounge. Joey sighed.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Max felt someone standing next to him at the bar of the Vic and he turned, seeing his nephew. 'Joey, what can I get you?' he asked him as Tracey came to serve him.

'Nothing for me thanks… Can I have a quick word please? I've left Lauren alone in the flat. I told her we needed some bread and I'd only be fifteen minutes'

'Yeah, course, I'll have a double scotch please, Trace' he said putting his money down on the bar, 'so what's up?' he asked Joey.

'Can we ….sit?' Joey asked him as Tracey put the drink on the bar. Max picked it up and took a sip, holding out his hand, telling Joey to lead the way. They took a seat and Joey sighed. 'Look, I'm going back to work tonight and I've got the late shift and… well, I'm worried about leaving Lauren on her own'

'Why, what's happened?' Max said with a frown 'I thought she was coping better'

'Yeah, she is… she was…' Joey told him. 'A couple of weeks ago she had a bit of set back and ….can you go over there later tonight? Check on her for me, make sure she's okay?'

'Is she drinking again?' Max asked in concern.

'No, nothing like that Uncle Max' Joey said shaking his head 'Look, I would just feel better knowing she has someone with her that's all' he told his uncle.

Max narrowed his eyes at his nephew, knowing there was something Joey wasn't saying, 'why do I get the feeling there's more going on here than you're telling me?' he asked him.

'Because there is' Joey replied. He looked around the pub and sighed 'Lauren didn't want anyone else to know, but…she had a miscarriage a few weeks ago' Joey murmured.

'You what?' Max put his glass down with a slam and he frowned at Joey 'you got my daughter pregnant and you're only telling me this now because…..' he raised his voice at him.

'Sssh… keep your voice down' Joey hissed at him 'it's not like that…we didn't know if it was my baby… it could've been Michael's' Joey frowned at him. 'She was adamant she wasn't going to keep it and we booked into a clinic…only we didn't need to go because she miscarried before we had to leave….she's just…' Joey sighed and rubbed his face with his hand 'it's like it's pushed her back to how she was after the...' he trailed off not able to say the words '…I'm just really worried about her' he told his uncle.

'Why? You don't think she's going to do anything stupid do you?' Max frowned at him, fearing the worst.

'No….no….at least I don't think so' Joey shook his head. Max could see the concern on his nephew's face.

'What time does your shift start?'

'7:00pm' Joey said 'I don't finish until 2:00am. I can't take any more time off, Phil's already been understanding about all this but if I push it anymore I'm going to lose my job and then we lose the flat and then …'

'Alright, all right calm down, Joey' Max said 'I'll pop over to the flat at half seven. See how she is. Okay?'

Joey nodded, sighing in relief, 'thank you.'

'Maybe we can have a takeaway or something, have a father/daughter catch up'

Yeah, she'd like that' Joey told him 'Look I'd better get back' Joey said to him.

'Don't forget the bread' Max told him as Joey stood up.

'What?' Joey frowned confused.

'You told Lauren you'd gone out to get some bread' Max said. He could see the strain dealing with all of this had had on Joey

'Oh right yeah, thanks' he said again, pulling open the doors and stepping outside, heading towards the MinuteMart.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren looked up briefly from the TV when Joey came out of the bedroom wearing his work clothes. She knew he was worried about her and she was determined to prove to him she was getting better. Even if it meant lying to him.

'Alright babe, this is me. I'm off'

She smiled at him 'I bet you're keen to get back to work, hey?' she asked him softly.

Joey shook his head with a smile. 'You know I'd rather be here with you, Lauren. But we have bills to pay, especially if we want to keep a roof over our heads' he said as he walked over to her and took a seat beside her 'are you sure you're going to be okay?' he asked her.

'Yes, I'll be fine. I've found a documentary about monkeys and there's a film on later that I've wanted to see for ages. I have a fully stocked kitchen, courtesy of my very handsome and thoughtful boyfriend, in case I get hungry, and you're only a text or phone call away' she told him 'It's very sweet of you to worry about me Joey, but I promise you I'm going to be fine. In fact I'm looking forward to having the place to myself for a change.' she licked her lips 'I may even do some drawing later'

Joey smiled at her 'Okay…well, you call me if you need me'

'I won't need you. Go to work, Joey' she said, getting up. She took his hand, pulling him up off the sofa and leading him to the door. She pulled his coat off the back of the door and held it out to him. She helped him put it on and then picked up his keys and put them in his hand. She zipped up his jacket and smiled up at him. 'Now go to work' she told him firmly. She raised her face expectantly and he smiled, kissing her softly. She opened the door and he stepped out. 'And watch the flirting' she reminded him.

Joey laughed softly 'I'll try not to wake you when I get in. You know I'm working late?' he reminded her.

'Yes Joey. Now go, or you are going to be late' she told him.

He nodded his head and she reached up for another kiss. Lauren shut the door and walked to the window in the kitchen, peering out. She watched him cross the square. He turned as if he sensed her in the window and she smiled, waving at him.

**AN: Lauren's putting a brave face on things because she knows Joey is worried about her. So she told him a few little white lies…to make him feel better about leaving her. He's not leaving her alone completely, he's arranged for Max to visit her. R&R as always **


	91. Chapter 91

**AN:- Reply to guest reviewer.**

To Kiara (Guest)

Your review:-

Kiara:No offence but ur like ' if u read it u review ' n from what I've seen a lot of people have been reviewing. U r a great author so I expect a lot of reviews for ur AMAZING writing but u nevr thnx ur guest reviewers I bet u dnt read most of them anymore.

My reply:-

Offence taken.

Firstly Revelry has been read by **36289** people. No, I am not expecting reviews from all of them but there are only 1414 reviews which is a small amount for the number of people reading and most of these are from the same people. And yes 1414 is a lot but there are a lot more people reading than reviewing. I enjoy writing and will continue to write but reviews for the stories are what pushes me to write new stories to come up with new ideas.

Secondly – This appears to be the first review from you for Revelry or in fact from any of my stories so the "if you read it, you review comment seems fitting don't you think? .

Thirdly I read every single review … guest reviewers cannot be replied to be they do not have an account. The people who have accounts get a personal email from me thanking them for their review and answering questions that they have asked or giving them teasers. There are also some guest reviewers who I am friends with on twitter and they get their thanks that way….

Fourthly perhaps you need to take a look at the following chapter author notes as you claim I don't thank people… 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 15, 16, 21, 30, 31, 40, 41, 59, 62, 69, 73, 78, 80, 83.

Perhaps you should also read the authors notes at the top of the page of chapter 82 for clarification of the "You read it you review it comment...

And lastly… I await your apology.

Regards

Eastendersfan444


	92. Chapter 92

**AN:- Reply to guest reviewer. ****Kiara (Guest)**

**Your review:- Kiara:No offence but ur like ' if u read it u review ' n from what I've seen a lot of people have been reviewing. U r a great author so I expect a lot of reviews for ur AMAZING writing but u nevr thnx ur guest reviewers I bet u dnt read most of them anymore.**

**My reply:-**

**No offence? Well offence has been taken. How dare you assume what I do and do not do! I read ALL reviews from ALL my reviewers even idiotic reviewers like yourself! Guest reviewers cannot be replied to be they do not have an account. The people who have accounts get a personal email from me thanking them for their review and answering questions that they have asked or giving them teasers. There are also some guest reviewers who I am friends with on twitter and they get their thanks that way…. **

**Revelry has been read by ****36289**** people. And no, I am not expecting reviews from all of them but there are only 1414 reviews which is a small amount for the number of people reading and most of these are from the same people. And yes 1414 is a lot but there are a lot more people reading than reviewing. I enjoy writing and will continue to write but reviews for the stories are what pushes me to write new stories to come up with new ideas. This story has taken over 6 months to write is it too much to ask that people who read it review it? I don't think so. **

**Perhaps you need to take a look at the following chapter author notes as you claim I don't thank people… 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 15, 16, 21, 30, 31, 40, 41, 59, 62, 69, 73, 78, 80, 83. **

**Perhaps you should also read the authors notes at the top of the page of chapter 82 for clarification of the "You read it you review it comment... **

**This offensive review appears to be the first review from you for Revelry or in fact for any of my stories so the "if you read it, you review it" comment seems fitting don't you think? **

**And lastly… I await your apology…As well your polite reviews for every single chapter of Revelry that you think is amazing but clearly haven't been arsed to review before. **

**To the rest of my readers, apologies for the rant but sometimes some guest reviewers warrant a rant… So you can all thank Kiara (guest reviewer) for that.**

**Chapter Ninety One **

As soon as Joey was out of sight, Lauren felt the room closing in around her, the beginnings of panic beckoning in the not too distant future. She closed her eyes and got up from the sofa she'd only just sat back on, walking into the bedroom and pulling on her coat. She picked up her keys from the dish by the door. Lauren checked her pocket, making sure she had her phone before she left the flat. She made it all the way down the stairs and stood outside on the step. The panic was back, her heart was racing, her hands were shaking. She was breathing way too fast and it was making her feel slightly lightheaded and dizzy. Lauren knew she had to do this. She had to move on with her life and not dwell on what had happened to her or she risked losing Joey and that was something she didn't want to happen. So she was going to the Vic, hoping Whitney or Lucy would be in there and then she was going to surprise Joey and go to the club. Well, that was the plan anyway.

She walked towards the Vic, slipping in behind a couple as they went through the doors. She found the place was busy and it instantly made her feel better. Lauren walked up to the bar and ordered a coke and took it to the one empty table left. She really wanted a vodka but she wasn't going to let Michael be the reason she started drinking again. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of breaking her completely. She's already let him take too much from her. She only had two things left for him to ruin…her sobriety and her relationship with Joey.

Lauren had been in the Vic for half an hour and the feelings of panic and dizziness had started to fade which was a good thing, but Whitney and Lucy hadn't come in and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to go to the club by herself. She frowned, trying to come up with a new plan. Maybe she should call one of her friends and ask them to come to the Vic…But then she thought if they weren't here then they probably already had plans.

'Do you mind if I join you?' a voice startled her out of her thoughts. Lauren looked up and saw her dad. She shook her head. He sat down with a smile. Lauren glanced at his drink and saw he had a coke too. 'It's good to see you out, Lauren' he told her, studying her face. She looked pale. 'How are you?' he asked her.

She nodded her head 'I'm okay' she told him as she licked her lips.

'I just popped over to see you but you weren't in' he said.

Lauren raised her eyes to his and she frowned slightly 'And the Vic was the first place you thought of to look for me?' she said, a little hurt that here was his first assumption. 'Did you expect to find me here getting off my face?'

'No' Max shook his head, frowning at her. 'Lauren, I know you're not drinking and I know you wouldn't. I'm proud of you for not going back to the booze, especially after everything you've been through' he told her 'me finding you in the Vic was a happy coincidence' he told her.

'Sorry' Lauren apologised sheepishly, realising she'd over-reacted. 'I'm guessing Joey asked you to check up on me?' she looked at him expectantly, recognising her boyfriend's interference….however well it was meant.

'He may have mentioned he was a little worried about leaving you alone in the flat, yeah' Max nodded his head.

'Was Joey worried I would be drinking too?'

'No. To be honest he thought you wouldn't leave the flat' Max admitted to her 'I figured if you'd gone out, you would be somewhere where you could be alone, but surrounded by people' he told her. Lauren nodded her head, raising her glass of coke to her lips and taking a sip. 'You know, you can talk to me don't, you hey? He asked her 'about anything, everything'

Lauren lowered her gaze 'not everything' she said 'there are some things I can't talk to you about'

'Course there isn't' Max shook his head. 'I'm your dad, years of wisdom under my belt'

'Not this' she said, shaking her head sadly.

'Try me'

'Sex' Lauren looked up at him.

Max swallowed. She'd brought up the one topic he'd hoped she wouldn't. 'Alright, I know a lot about sex. What questions do you have?'

Lauren blinked at him and couldn't help but laugh at the serious expression on her father's face. 'Don't you think it's a little late for the sex talk, dad?' she asked him 'I'm 19 years old'

'I'm your dad, Lauren. I'm aware that you are 19 and you've had sex. And I realise I'm way too late for the "wait until you're married" conversation' he teased her. She laughed again. 'Has Joey done something you don't like?' he asked her not sure he was entirely comfortable with having this conversation with his daughter, but, since he'd just told her she could talk to him about anything, he couldn't back out now. He just hoped she didn't go into too much detail. There are some things a father really doesn't need to know about his daughter's sex life.

'Joey and I haven't done anything for a while' she said with a frown 'that's kind of the problem' she told him with a shrug.

'Is he pressuring you?' he frowned 'because I can talk to him tell, him to back off….'

'No, dad. He's not' Lauren shook her head her cheeks reddening a little 'In fact he's doing the complete opposite. He said he can wait as long as it takes….'

Max frowned 'Well, then what's the problem?' he asked her, clearly confused, as well as liking Joey a little bit more.

'It's just ….Joey …likes sex' Lauren said to him 'a lot' she trailed off and looked down feeling embarrassed 'and if I can't…..well sooner or later he's going to find it elsewhere isn't he, hey?' she asked him.

'Is that what Joey said?' Max asked her.

'No, but…..' she frowned, looking up at him.

'But what?' he held her gaze

'When I was in rehab for 60 days … well…he wasn't exactly short of a bed to sleep in, was he?' she frowned as she remembered the string of girls that had apparently had access all areas to naked Joey.

Max sighed 'Lauren, Joey loves you. Do you really think he would cheat on you, risk what you two have?' he asked her.

Lauren shrugged, taking a sip of her coke. She put the glass down on the table and ran her finger around the rim. 'What if I never want to have sex again?' she asked him.

'That'd make me worry less' he teased her, trying to lighten the situation but it didn't work.

'I'm being serious, dad' Lauren told him 'I love him and I want to be with him…Before this happened we had a pretty good sex life and now it's non-existent' she told him 'Every time we've tried to have sex… I just freeze up and we have to stop…..' she told him 'and this morning, I was getting dressed and Joey came out of the bathroom and I was naked and I felt….ashamed that he saw me… I still feel so dirty, dad…' she trailed off and sighed. 'I love Joey, dad, I do and I want us to have the relationship back that we used to have before all of this happened, but I don't know how to….'

Max looked her in the eyes, reaching across the table he took her hand in his 'don't push yourself, Lauren' he told her 'you don't want to rush back into having sex with Joey because you're afraid he is going to stray' he said 'After what you went through….it's only natural you're feeling this way about sex' he told her 'You and Joey need to talk about this' he said to her 'it's not really a conversation you want to be having with your old man is it, hey?' he told her 'Joey's the one who will have some of the answers, who can put your worries and concerns to rest.'

Lauren shook her head sadly 'I have talked about it with Joey… he just says the same as you' she said 'but I can't help thinking he's just saying what he thinks I need to hear. Or he doesn't want me that way anymore' Max frowned 'What if he doesn't want me anymore, dad?' Lauren asked him her eyes filled with tears 'what do I do then?'

'Sweetheart, that's not going to happen' he told her softly. Lauren took a deep breath as she blinked her tears away. The last thing she wanted to do was have a breakdown in the Vic for all to see. She shrugged. 'Why don't I take you home?' he asked her 'you can show me round the flat, make me a coffee and I can stay until Joey gets back?'

Lauren nodded her head 'I'd like that' she said softly

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Max heard the key in the door and he glanced down at his sleeping daughter. Her head was resting on his chest, his shirt still damp from the tears she'd spilled. Joey walked in and he looked at Max.

'How is she?' Joey asked him hopefully.

Max shook his head 'Not good' he said quietly. Joey sighed feeling his hopes fading. He walked over to the two of them and carefully scooped Lauren into his arms, carrying her through to the bedroom. He lay her down on the bed and covered her with the duvet, brushing her hair away from her face before pressing his lips to her forehead. He pulled the bedroom door ajar as he left the room. He returned to the lounge and looked at Max.

'I don't know what to do' he admitted to his uncle.

'I'm not sure you can do any more than you already are' Max replied honestly 'she's worried you're going to leave her because you're not having sex, because of the miscarriage….she told me you wanted her to keep it'

'She told you that?' Joey asked surprised.

'Yes' he nodded his head 'I found her in the Vic, she was drinking coke' he added quickly as a look of fear shot across Joey's features. Joey sat down on the sofa 'she told me about the miscarriage when we got back here.' Max frowned at his nephew. 'You look tired. Joey'

Joey nodded 'I really am' he admitted. 'Even though Lauren has sleeping tablets now, they don't always work. Sometimes she still wakes up in the night, screaming' Joey sighed and ran his hands over his face 'sometimes she just cries about the baby…' Joey trailed off.

'She's still having nightmares?' Max asked him in surprise.

Joey nodded his head 'Less frequent than before, but yeah, she is' he paused 'I keep telling her I'm not going anywhere. I keep telling her I love her and I want to be with her but…she's not convinced' he said 'I'm not sure this is the best place for her. When we were at mum's she was a different person, she was relaxed and she had fun. She laughed, like she used to…..I think not being in Walford made her feel safer, made her forget, even if it was just for a little while. I thought things were going to get better, but then Janine started the whole thing up again about the gym, and when she found out she was pregnant…. the miscarriage…. It's like she's gone back to the beginning again. To be honest I think maybe she needs to go to Devon, spend some time with Tanya and Oscar. She needs to be somewhere away from the square. Maybe even away from me. I don't know' he looked down at his hands which were clenched in his lap.

'Do you think she'll go?' Max asked him.

'No' Joey shook his head 'not willingly'

So what do we do?' Max looked at his nephew.

'I don't know, Max. I just don't know' Joey sighed again 'All I want to do is what's best for her. Even if that's means she's not with me'

'We need to talk to her, both of us' Max said.

'We can't gang up on her, Max' Joey shook his head 'this has to be her decision, we just need to figure out a way to help her reach the same conclusion we have so she makes the decision'

Max nodded his head in agreement. 'But how?'

'I'll try and talk to her in the morning' Joey replied.

**AN: Joey's first night back at work and Lauren leaves the flat. Preferring to surround herself with people instead of sitting alone in the flat waiting for him to come back. She had a good talk with Max but has increased Max's level of concern for her. Poor Joey, realising Lauren needs to leave in order to get better, realising she needs to have some time away from him, from the pressure she is putting on herself about the status of their relationship. So which one of them is going to broach the subject with her and how is she going to take it? Let me know what you think of Revelry so far. Thank you for all your reviews it means a lot that you take the time to post a review … really makes an author smile! R&R as always. **


	93. Chapter 93

**Chapter Ninety-two**

Lauren woke up after having slept through the night without nightmares. She stretched and rolled over in the bed and saw Joey sleeping beside her. For the first time in a long time she actually felt good, refreshed. She smiled, today was going to be the first day of the rest of her life.

Climbing out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once she was dressed she went into the kitchen. She searched through the cupboards for something to eat. She decided she just wanted some cereal, a grin spread across her face as she saw the box of Cocapops Joey had brought for her. Ten minutes later she was settled on the sofa with her breakfast.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey woke up a couple of hours later, rolling over in the bed and reaching for Lauren. He opened his eyes when his fingers didn't come into contact with her and discovered Lauren was already up. He used the bathroom and then walked through to the lounge.

'Hey babe' he said with a smile 'Did you sleep okay?' he asked her.

'Yes' she nodded her head with a beaming smile 'The best night's sleep I've had for a while' she told him 'do you want some breakfast?'

'Are you offering to make me breakfast?' he asked her surprised.

'Yep.' She said standing up, scooping her bowl and cup off the coffee table, 'I am allowed to make my boyfriend breakfast, you know' she said teasingly. 'So, do you want some?'

'Actually, I'm not really hungry, but thank you for the offer' he told her 'I think I'll just have coffee, do you want a refill?' he noticed her cup was empty.

'Please' he took her bowl and cup from her, disappearing into the kitchen and returning moments later with two steaming cups. He sat down on the sofa putting both cups down on the coffee table. He yawned and scratched the back of his head.

'You still look tired, Joey' Lauren said to him 'Maybe you should go back to bed, get some more sleep?'

'I'm not working until later tonight so I can have an afternoon nap if I want to' he said 'I thought maybe we could talk' he said carefully

'About what?' she chewed on her bottom lip. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like whatever he wanted to talk to her about.

'What you talked to your dad about last night, he was still here when I got home from the club' he explained, 'we talked too'

'What did you two talk about?' she asked.

'You' he picked up his cup and blew the hot liquid, before taking a tentative sip 'We're both worried about you and we think maybe Walford isn't the right place for you to be right now' he told her.

Lauren swallowed 'And where exactly is the right place for me to be?'

'Well, we were thinking…'

'We?' Lauren interrupted him. 'Is this you and dad or just dad and he's too chicken to talk to me about it himself?' she frowned at him.

'I was thinking maybe you should go to Devon' he told her 'Spend some time with your mum and Oscar, have a bit of a break from here. You could enjoy walking on the beach, maybe do some drawing…..' he told her 'the seaside air will do you good, put some colour back in your cheeks'

'So how long am I going for?' she asked him, folding her arms over her chest, which Joey knew was a bad sign.

'However long you want' he took another mouthful of coffee.

She nodded her head 'and what about you?'

'I just can't up and leave everything, can I? I still have the flat to pay for…' he trailed off, seeing the anger flashing in her eyes.

'So… Am I leaving in the dead of night again, bundled into the back of a black cab, like a dirty little secret? Or is mum coming to pick me up?' she asked him as she climbed off the sofa and walked towards the bedroom.

'Lauren…..' Joey called after her. She slammed the door behind her as hard as she could. Joey closed his eyes 'That went well' he sighed. He put his coffee down and got up, moving to the bedroom. He opened the door and peered inside. He found Lauren face down on the bed, crying into the pillow. 'Babe' he said stepping inside, he climbed onto the bed beside her, sitting cross legged 'Hey' he said softly 'look it was just an idea, that's all. I thought it would be good if you had a break, a change of scene' he told her 'just like when we went to see my mum' he reminded her. 'You were relaxed, you weren't jumping at shadows all the time. It's like you were a different person there and I want you to be that person again. You're not happy here, Lauren. I think maybe you need a break…'

She sniffed 'You mean you need a break…from me' she mumbled into the pillow.

'Of course not. I don't want you to go' he told her 'I'm going to hate not having you here. But I'm thinking about you. What's best for you, what you need' he said softly 'and you know, if I could I'd come with you. But I've already taken so much time off work, Phil's likely to sack me if I ask for any more time off' he told her 'Hey, I'm not saying you have to go forever' he told her 'A week, two, three….however long you need' he told her. 'And we can talk on the phone all the time, text, even Skype' he licked his lips. She remained quiet. 'You don't have to go, no one is going to make you do anything you don't want to' he promised her. 'It's just a suggestion, Lauren'

She turned her head to look at him and he saw her red puffy eyes 'you're not sending me away?' she asked him in a small shaky voice.

Joey shook his head. 'No. Of course I'm not. If you want to go for a while, it's your decision. I just thought I'd put the idea out there and see if you've already thought about it. I'm letting you know I'm okay with you going…only if it's what you want. I know how much you miss your mum and Oscar, babe'

Lauren blinked at him 'So I don't have to go?' she asked him, sitting up.

Joey reached out and brushed away her tears with his fingers 'No, baby' he shook his head 'I just want you to be happy…..'

'I'm happy with you' she whispered to him. She moved closer to him again 'I know I haven't been particularly nice to be around lately and ….'

'Hey….sshh' he pressed his fingers lightly over her lips. 'You don't have to explain anything to me, babe' he said softly 'Come here' he whispered softly.

She scrambled onto his lap, wrapping her arms and legs around him tightly. 'I'm sorry…I'm trying to be better'

Joey closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her 'I know you are, honey' he licked his lips 'I just think maybe you need a little holiday…I know we went to Spain but you stayed in the Villa the whole time' he told her 'and then we went to mum's and a little bit of the old Lauren came back but then as soon as we got back here, she went away again' he told her. 'I think maybe you need some time away from me too?' he suggested gently.

Lauren pulled back to look at him 'but I love you' she said softly.

'I know' he told her with a smile 'and you know how much I love you, just….just promise me, you'll think about it and if you decide to go…..Give me a couple of day's notice, okay? No disappearing into the night in the back of a black cab, okay?' he asked her 'and maybe …if you decide to go for more than a week, I could come down and see you at the weekends. Come and get you when you are ready to come home again?'

She nodded her head and licked her lips, her eyes fell to Joey's mouth and he saw her hesitate before she moved forward and pressed her lips against his softly and quickly before hugging him again.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

The next few days passed and Lauren had gone to have an afternoon nap in the bedroom, she woke up hearing raised voices in the lounge.

'Uncle Max, it has to be her decision, I'm not going to force her to do anything she doesn't want to' she heard Joey say angrily.

'You know what she's like Joey, sometimes she just needs a little nudge in the right direction' Max replied equally as angrily.

'You know what, Max, I listened to you once before about what was best for Lauren and look at how that turned out. I'm sorry. I know you're worried about her too, but this is going to be her choice, not mine. I'm not going to force her hand'

'You said it yourself, you think she should go'

'Yes. I know I did and I've told Lauren that' he replied with a sigh 'I'm sorry Uncle Max, but I'm not going to force her to leave if she doesn't want to go' he told him firmly. Lauren heard the door to the flat open and slam shut and she heard Joey groan loudly. She got up and walked through to the lounge. Joey turned hearing the creak of the bedroom door. 'I'm sorry, did we wake you?' he asked her.

'No' she lied, shaking her head 'Yes' she amended, with a sigh 'Dad's giving you a hard time about me going to Devon?' she asked him.

'You could say that. He thinks I should force you to go. That I should tell you it's what you need and pack you off'

'But you don't want to do that?' she asked him curiously, as she walked towards him 'Even though you admit you think this is what I need?'

'No' he shook his head 'I want you to trust me and going behind your back…well, it's not going to help with the trust, is it, hey?' he said. 'I meant what I said, this is your decision to make'

Lauren sighed and went into the kitchen to make a coffee. Opening the fridge she discovered they were out of milk. She walked back to the lounge 'we need some milk' she said.

'We do?' he asked with a frown 'Okay, I'll go get some' he told her.

'I'll go' she said 'If you give me some money' she held out her hand,

'Are you sure?' he asked her. She nodded her head.

'Yes, I'll be less than ten minutes' she told him. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and took out a fiver and gave it to her. 'Thank you' she smiled at him and grabbed her coat and keys, letting herself out of the flat.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

When she returned 10 minutes later, she walked through to the kitchen and put the change on the side, sorting through it and putting the silver and bronze coins into the jam jar on the side and then picked up the pound coins to give back to Joey, she turned to see he'd come into the room. 'Here's your change' she said with a smile. He closed the distance between them, taking the coins from her. She circled her arms around his neck as he dropped the coins into his pocket. He looked at her curiously as she stared into his eyes. 'Okay I've thought about it. I'll go to Devon' she told him softly.

Joey blinked at her 'you don't have to…not because of your dad' he said to her, shaking his head.

'It's not because of dad' she told him 'you were right before. I do miss mum and Oscar and maybe it would be good to get away from the square for a while' she said.

'When are you thinking of going?' he asked her, hoping she wasn't planning on leaving tomorrow.

'The weekend' she said softly 'I'll call mum later and make the arrangements'

'Okay' he said softly, nodding his head. Even though he didn't want her to go, he was surprised by how relieved he felt by her announcement.

'I don't need a break from you' she told him softly. Joey smiled, stroking her cheek softly.

'I know that' he told her. He gave her a soft kiss.

'Do you want a coffee?' she asked him

'Please' he replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Far too quickly the weekend was here. Lauren knew Joey was more upset than he let on about her decision to leave. Joey also knew it was the best thing for her at the moment, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Lauren packed her bags Friday night, whilst Joey was at work, to keep herself busy. She left them by the door. She was in bed asleep when Joey got home. Wanting Lauren to have something to remember him by when she was in Devon, he took some of his t-shirts out of his drawers and put them in one of her bags. Looking at her bags she'd packed a lot more than she'd need for a week and he felt a cold fist grip his stomach. But then again she'd packed a lot more than she needed when they went to Spain and the cold fist loosened its grip slightly.

Joey sighed and went into the bathroom to clean his teeth. Minutes later he was climbing carefully into the bed so he didn't disturb her.

Joey slept in the next morning and Lauren didn't have the heart to wake him, until it was nearly time for her to go. She shook him gently and he opened his eyes.

'Mmm, hey' he murmured 'what time is it?' he asked her.

'Almost 1:00pm' she replied. He blinked at her and frowned, taking a deep breath as she looked at him.

'Crap!… Why didn't you wake me earlier?' he exclaimed.

'Because you needed to sleep, Joey. You didn't get in until late' she explained to him 'I have to leave in fifteen minutes' she told him, not that he needed reminding.

'Okay' he told her. She moved off the bed as he got up and hurried into the bathroom. When he came out Lauren had vacated the bedroom. He dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and he went to find Lauren. She was in the kitchen and hearing him come in, she turned to hand him a glass of orange juice. 'Thanks' he took the glass, drinking it down in one. 'I wish you would've woken me up, babe' he told her 'I wanted us to spend some time together before you had to leave' he told her.

'I didn't want to make it any harder than it needed to be' she told him 'I've already changed my mind about going a dozen times in the last fifteen minutes' she admitted to him.

'You have? Why?' he asked her, having a feeling she was worried about their relationship, He put his glass down on the side with a shrug 'you don't need to worry about us' he said to her 'we'll be fine.

Lauren swallowed and looked up at him 'will we?' she asked him.

He nodded his head 'Yes' he walked over to her and tucked her hair behind her ear 'I'm going to be texting you every five minutes, calling you every night, every morning' he promised her 'and when I've worked out how to Skype we can talk using that too, so we'll still get to see each other' he told her. He put his hands on her shoulders 'you need this babe' he said quietly 'we both know that'

Lauren nodded her head 'What if…' he pressed her fingers over her lips.

'We cross that bridge if and when we come to it' he said firmly, he didn't want to think about the "what if's" just yet. 'Come here' he pulled her into his embrace and held her tightly. She felt his lips on her forehead and smiled, pulling back to look at him 'I'm going to miss you so much, babe' he whispered.

'I'm going to miss you too, Joey' she said, her voice thick with tears 'I'm sorry….'

'No baby, don't. There's nothing for you to be sorry for, alright? So don't apologise okay?' he gazed at her 'I love you, you know that right?' he asked her seriously, his dark brown eyes holding hers.

She nodded her head 'I love you too' she whispered and moved forward to hug him again.

'We have to go' he said, hearing a car horn sound outside 'that'll be your dad waiting to drive you down to Devon' he sighed.

'I wish it was you' she said.

'I know, but I have to work ….' he said 'and we both decided it would be easier to say goodbye here'

'I know' she pulled back to look at him and he wiped her tears away, giving her a sad smile.

'Come on we'd better go' he told her. He let her go, taking hold of her hand and leading her to the door. He picked up most of her bags, after she reluctantly let go of his hand. She grabbed two herself, following Joey out of the flat. Joey put the bags into the back of the car, turning to look at Lauren, who was crying openly now. 'Come on, now' he told her softly 'Let's wipe away these tears, hey? We'll talk all the time and we'll see each other soon. I promise' he pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wiped her cheeks before pressing the tissue into her hand. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. 'I'll call you tonight, okay? You have a good time and talk to you mum, okay? And say hi to Oscar for me' Lauren nodded her head, too upset to speak now. Joey pulled her into his arms again, holding her tightly. 'Be good' he whispered in her ear 'do me a favour, yeah? Don't fall in love with anyone else while you're there, okay?'

'I promise' she whispered back.

'Lauren, babe, sorry but we have to go' Max said to her. Joey pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then let her go. She walked to the car and got inside.

Joey felt like his whole life had just got into that car. Lauren had told him she was only going for a couple of weeks, but they both knew deep down that wasn't true. She'd be gone for a lot longer than that. If she ever came back. And again, Joey had told her that would be her decision too. And if they did have to cross that bridge then the decisions that followed, they would make together if they had to. He watched as the car pulled away, his own tears falling freely down his face as he felt his heart breaking as the love of his life was driven away.

**AN: Lauren's decided to take Joey's advice and have a break away from Walford. Has she made the right decision or will it be one she'll regret? What does this mean for Lauren and Joey? Read on to find out! R&R as always **


	94. Chapter 94

**AN: I thought you would all like to read Kiara's apology as she has apologised to all who read and review Revelry:- **

**Kiara:I'm sorry I feel really bad for what I sed as u had to waste ur time to write back to me and wasting others time because they had to read it as well. I am really sorry everyone n EastEndersfan444. Also they reason behind why I haven't reviewed before is because I've only discovered fanfiction a couple days ago. If I read from the beginning than of couse I would review all ur chapters. I am so very sorry I regret what I sed. The only reason I sed that was because after chapter 83/82 I haven't see any more thnxs to guest reviewers. But I was wrong to assume things. I am very very sorry. :'( I really feel bad I'm sorry if I can turn back time I would I'm sorry. **

**Thank you Kiara... apology accepted. **

**Chapter Ninety-three**

Lauren had been gone for nearly three months and Joey missed her desperately. Yes, they'd talked on the phone, exchanged texts and even used Skype a few times (after Lauren had spent a good half an hour on the phone talking him through setting it up!) He hadn't been able to get more time off work to go and visit her like he'd promised due to the fact Robbie had quit when his girlfriend moved to France and he'd gone after her. Which meant the club was short of bar staff and Joey was picking up a lot of extra shifts. Not because he had to, but because Joey felt as though he owed Phil for all the time off he'd given him after Lauren's attack and the miscarriage. Not that the money wasn't coming in handy, it was, he'd made some serious deposits in the savings account he'd opened for his and Lauren's future.

He knew Lauren had kept in regular contact with Kat, Alice and Whitney and she'd told Kat and Alice to keep an eye on Joey for her to make sure he was okay (and was behaving himself) which made Joey laugh when Alice told him.

Joey had also talked to Tanya. He checked in with her on a regular basis, just to make sure his phone calls and texts weren't doing any damage. Tanya had reassured him they weren't. He was pleased to hear not only were they not doing any damage but they seemed to bring joy to Lauren's days. His last call to Tanya had been a difficult one though. Michael's sentencing had been given. Tanya had been surprised because they'd been expecting a trial, thinking Lauren would have to testify… and relive what she'd been through and Joey and Tanya had been dreading the day she would have to look Michael in the eyes and tell everyone what he'd done to her.

Joey had wanted to tell Lauren face to face but he couldn't get the time off work so he'd instead relayed the news to Tanya. And Tanya in turn had broken the news to Lauren. Michael had been given 5 years in prison for the rape charge and another 4 years for the assault and battery charge and another 4 years for perverting the course of justice, to be served consecutively. So in total he was currently serving 13 years in Her Majesty's prison. Lauren had been nonchalant when Tanya had told her the news and had simply shrugged and said good. When her mother pushed her to talk about it Lauren had told her simply that Michael had taken enough from her, she wasn't going to let him take anymore, which made Lauren feel prouder of her daughter than she'd ever been.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey was due to go and see Lauren this weekend. He'd finally got Friday and Saturday off work and he was beyond excited, not to mention worried and nervous, about seeing her again. He wondered if she was nervous about seeing him too. He didn't sleep well the night before he was due to go and see her. He wasn't sure if their feelings would still be there… or at least hers for him. He knew she'd made a few friends whilst she'd been there, one of them named was Lewis. And Lewis was all she ever talked about. Lewis had been teaching her how to surf, but apparently she wasn't very good at it and had swallowed more of the sea than she would've liked. On the few occasions Joey had talked to Oscar, the little boy had told him he thought Lewis was funny and he made Lauren happy, made Lauren laugh and smile like Joey used to. So truth be told, he was more than a little afraid she'd met someone else and fallen in love.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

He'd voiced his concerns to Kat and Alfie in the Vic. Kat had gone a little quiet and then told Joey she was sure he had nothing to worry about and he should be pleased Lauren had made some new friends, at least this meant she wasn't sitting indoors dwelling on the past. Joey was afraid the past included him, but he didn't voice that particular concern.

He got up at 5:00am, deciding he wasn't going to get anymore sleep. He got dressed and went for a run.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren had been up early for another surfing session with Lewis. She showered, dried her hair and was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast when her mother came in with Oscar.

'You been out with Lewis again this morning?' she asked her, pouring herself a coffee while Lauren helped Oscar with his breakfast.

'Yep, I stood up on the board too! Albeit for like a third of a second' she told her with a grin.

'You're doing well, aren't you?' she smiled and stroked her hair softly as she walked past her.

'Lewis thinks I'm useless!' she grinned at her 'he said I'll never learn how to surf'

Tanya sat down at the breakfast table and reached across the table to pick up some toast from Lauren's plate. 'So what time did Joey say he'd be here?' she asked Lauren.

'Sometime this afternoon. He wasn't specific with the time. He said he had a few things to do before he left Walford' Lauren replied and looked at Oscar, who was messing around with his cereal. 'Eat properly, Oscar' she frowned at him. He grinned at her and milk ran down his chin. 'You are so gross' she laughed as she wiped his chin and shirt with a cloth.

'So you don't know when he'll be here?' Tanya asked casually, trying to gauge her daughter's feelings on Joey's visit.

'Nope' Lauren said, shaking her head.

'Have you made space for him in your room?' Tanya asked her. Lauren looked at her in surprise, shaking her head 'Well, don't you think you should?'

'I made up the spare room' Lauren said as she got up with her plate and cup and put them in the sink. She could feel her mother's eyes burning a hole in her back. 'What? We haven't seen each other for 3 months… he might not feel the same way …we've both changed' she told her as she turned around to look at her 'we're not the same people we were three months ago, mum' she told her, licking her lips nervously.

'Are you nervous about seeing him?'

Lauren nodded her head 'of course I'm nervous about seeing him' she told her 'I'd be stupid not to be' Lauren said.

'By why darling…. You speak to him every single day on the phone, you text each other at least 30 times a day, you've even talked to each other on Skype. The boy is clearly still in love with you or he wouldn't be in contact with you all the time, would he, hey?' she asked her as Lauren's phone beeped 'see, that's probably him now'

Lauren turned, scooping her phone up off the table and looked at it 'It's from Lewis' she told her 'wants to know if I want to have lunch with him today' she told her mother.

'Maybe you should, take you mind off of worrying about when Joey gets here' Tanya told her.

'Doesn't matter where I am, I'm still going to worry aren't I?' she rolled her eyes and went up to her room.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

The hours ticked by slowly for both of them, more so for Joey as he managed to take a wrong turn and drove half an hour in the wrong direction.

Lauren had started to pace the floors at 2:00pm when he still hadn't arrived. Tanya shooed her outside with Oscar to get some fresh air and try to have Oscar keep her busy until Joey arrived.

At 3:00pm Tanya heard a sharp knock on the door. She got up and walked over to the door. She pulled the door open, smiling to see Joey standing there.

'Hi Tanya' Joey said, with a smile as she let him into the house 'I got lost on the way here' he told her apologetically 'I took a wrong turn'

'Well, the important thing is you're here in one piece' she said, leading him into the lounge.

He put his bag down and looked around the room. 'This is nice' he said to her.

'Yeah, Oscar and I like it. Do you want to freshen up a little?' Tanya asked him 'bathrooms first door on the right at the top of the stairs' she told him. He glanced up the stairs and looked at her.

'Lauren not here?' he asked her, a little disappointed she wasn't here to meet him.

'Yeah, she is. I sent her outside with Oscar, they're down on the beach. She was wearing a hole in my floor with her pacing.' Joey nodded and swallowed. He was feeling a little nervous, maybe if he freshened up a bit he'd feel better.

'It was pretty hot in the car. Do you mind if I take a shower?' Joey asked her.

'No, course not, you go on up, the blue towel on the rack is yours' she replied. He picked up his bag and took the stairs two at a time and went into the bathroom.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

He came down fifteen minutes later, feeling less sticky and sweaty, but the shower had done nothing to alleviate the nervousness he felt, if anything it had increased it.

'Feel better?' Tanya asked him with a smile.

'Yeah, I do thanks' he nodded his head.

'I made some coffee, do you want one?'

'I would love one, the last coffee I had in the service station could've stripped paint' he told her with a laugh. He followed her into the kitchen 'It's quiet here' he said as she handed him a coffee.

'Yeah, it is. Takes a little getting used to from living in the city, I can tell you. There's hardly any noise here at night, no car doors slamming, no sirens going off, no drunken yelling from people who've just left a night club' she told him 'and being here seems to have done Lauren the world of good'

'How is she?' Joey asked her.

'She's good, Joey. She's really good' Tanya said and looked out of the window to see if she could see her children. 'She's much different than the girl who turned up here three months ago that's for sure. She's got a few friends here, she laughs more. She's happy'

'And how did she take the news about Michael's sentence?' he asked her.

'Surprisingly well' Tanya said to him 'She was a little shocked at first that it came through so quickly, I think she was expecting to have to go to the trial, give evidence. She's curious as to why Michael changed his mind and pleaded guilty' she looked at him as if she expected him to have the answers

'I have no idea' Joey said, dropping his gaze a little guiltily, knowing the reason why and his own culpability in him coming to that decision. Joey swallowed the coffee 'is me being here going to cause problems?' he asked her, uncertain he wanted to know the answer to this question.

'Don't be silly, she's been excited about seeing you since you said you were coming for a visit' Tanya told him 'I think it'll be good for her to see you. I know you've kept in contact, spoken every day but there's nothing like seeing someone in the flesh' she told him 'so how have you been in the last 3 months?'

'Busy at work' Joey told her 'which is why I haven't been able to come down before now, and to be honest the money has come in pretty handy. I've got a fair bit saved up now for our future' he licked his lips. 'Has she said anything about coming back to Walford?'

'Not to me. But I barely see her these days, she's either out on the beach playing with Oscar, out with her sketchpad or out with Lewis or her other friends' she told him.

Joey nodded and looked out of the window. He saw Oscar running along the beach and a few seconds later he saw Lauren running after him. She caught him with ease and scooped him up into the air and spun him round. Joey could see they were both laughing. His breath caught in this throat as he saw her, the cup stopped halfway to his mouth. He put the cup down on the table, not wanting to take his eyes off her, the conversation with Tanya forgotten in an instant. He made his way outside and walked towards her. As he got closer he could hear her and Oscar laughing. She put Oscar down and he scurried off again.

Joey paused a few feet away from her. She was wearing a white top and long light blue floaty skirt that was blowing gently in the breeze. Her hair was being blown around too. She brushed her hair away from her eyes and turned suddenly towards Joey. She stared at him, wondering if he was really here or if she was just imagining it. He took a breath and walked towards, stopping when he was close enough to touch her. He smiled at her. He was right, getting away from Walford had been the best thing for her. Her skin has a nice golden glow to it where she'd caught the sun. She had colour in her cheeks again and her eyes…her eyes had life in them again.

He broke the silence that hung between them 'Can I get a hug?' Joey asked her, repeating the words she'd said to him when she'd come to see him in R&R's after getting out of rehab.

She nodded her head 'Yeah, course' she said, stepping closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes as she felt him wrapping his arms around her.

Oscar chose this moment to look at his sister 'JOEY!' he cried out, running back down the beach as fast as his little legs could carry him. He launched himself at Joey. Lauren laughed softly, letting Joey go so he could crouch down and say hello to his little cousin.

'Come and look what I found' he tugged on Joey's hand and dragged him away from Lauren, Joey shot her an apologetic smile and let Oscar lead him away. Lauren followed them both.

'Oh you got another blue shell?' Lauren said 'Well, pick this one too and put it in your bucket' she told him 'I bet if you go a little further down the beach you'll find some more just like this one' she said 'but don't go close to the water and stay where I can see you' she instructed him.

'Can we go to the caves?' Oscar asked her 'I want to show Joey the caves'

'Yes. We can go to the caves, Oscar' Lauren said as she pushed her hands into the pockets of her cardigan. She hung back a little letting Oscar spend time with Joey before he had to go to bed. The little boy had been practically bouncing off the walls with excitement since Lauren had told him Joey was coming to visit. To be honest she was grateful for the distraction, she was sure Joey had a lot of questions for her and she wasn't entirely sure of the answers, a little more thinking time would be come in handy.

**AN: Joey's arrived in Devon after three months without seeing Lauren. They're both nervous about seeing each other, worried if the other's feelings has changed. Oscar is thrilled his favourite cousin is here. Have things changed between Lauren and Joey? Has three months apart been too long? Let me know what you think about Revelry… leave me a review. R&R As always **


	95. Chapter 95

**AN: Kiara. Apologies accepted. A clean slate/fresh start ssounds good to me! I'm glad you are enjoying Revelry and hope you enjoy A Fresh Perspective. **

**Chapter Ninety-four **

After the visit to the caves and a race between Oscar and Joey, to see who could get back to the house first, which somehow, Oscar won. Tanya called them in to tell them dinner was ready. Oscar walked between Lauren and Joey holding their hands as they went back to the house. Once inside Oscar tugged on Joey's hand 'Come on Joey, we have to wash our hands before we eat, we've been touching dirty shells and seaweed' he told him with an authoritative voice that reminded Joey of Lauren.. Joey looked up at Lauren and he gave her a smile.

'So… don't keep me in the dark' Tanya said once the boys were out of the room, 'how did it go?'

'Well, Oscar seems to be thrilled Joey is here, gave him a tour of the beach, filled him in on what he's been doing since the last time he saw Joey. He's made a play date with Joey tomorrow and girls aren't allowed to go, apparently' Lauren told her as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink. She picked up the towel, turning to look at her mother as she dried her hands.

'Oscar will be going to bed soon, so you and Joey will have some time to be alone together' she told her softly. 'I'll keep Oscar busy after dinner so you can give Joey a tour of the house. Maybe you should take a walk on the beach later, when it's twilight… romantic setting' she teased her daughter gently.

'Mum!' Lauren scolded her as she blushed.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

After dinner, as promised, Tanya kept Oscar in the kitchen with her as she cleaned up and Lauren took Joey on a tour of the house.

She led Joey up the stairs 'So this is the bathroom' she said, pointing to the door of the room he'd used earlier then she opened the door next to it 'and this is Oscars room' she told him.

'Are those Lauren Branning originals I see on the walls?' he asked her, winking at her as he stepped inside to take a closer look.

'Yeah, Oscar wanted me to paint all his favourite animals on the wall for him' she explained, leaning against the doorframe. 'Every now and then he adds another one' she told him, 'and on this wall he wanted a picture of mum, dad, Abi and me' she told him 'It's a work in progress' she told him with a shrug 'I bet now he's seen you he'll want me to add you to the picture too' Lauren said to him.

Joey glanced at her 'It's good to see you're drawing and painting again' She smiled, nodding her head.

'Yeah, it's been good to get back into it actually' she told him, leading him out of the room.

'So, this is the mum's room' she said, opening another door. Joey peered inside briefly, 'and this is my room' Lauren opened the door to her bedroom and stepped into the room, Joey followed her, seeing she had a view of the beach out of her window.

'Wow, this is an amazing view' he said to her as he looked to the beach outside.

'It is pretty great' she said with a smile 'you should see it in the moonlight too, it's pretty incredible'

'I see you've put some of your art in here too' he said. He spent some time looking at the pictures she'd drawn, hung in frames around the room.

'A little' she shrugged casually.

'You've been busy' he pushed his hands into his pockets.

'Yeah. I guess I have' Lauren nodded her head 'I've even helped mum out a few times at the salon she has here, she even insisted on paying me'

'That's good' he said with a smile, genuinely pleased with the changes he could see in her.

'I have a little bit of money saved up which is good, because I owe you like thousands of pounds….' she reminded him.

'Actually, you don't' Joey told her 'I told you I could support us both and I meant it' he licked his lips and sat down on her bed 'Listen…Lauren, there's something I need to tell you...'

'Lauren!' Tanya called up the stairs 'Lewis is here to see you'

Joey saw Lauren's face light up at the mention of his name 'You have to meet Lewis' Lauren told Joey with a grin 'you can't help but like him' he watched her race out of the room. He took a breath before getting up and following her down the stairs, wondering if they'd ever get to spend any time alone together.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Oscar insisted he wanted Joey to read him a bedtime story and he wouldn't take no for an answer. So Joey took the little boy up to bed.

'I'm going to go for a walk on the beach' Lauren told Tanya, 'If I'm not back…..'

'I'll send Joey out' Tanya replied finishing Lauren's sentence for her.

'Thanks mum' Lauren smiled at her.

Lauren walked out to the water's edge, pausing to take her flip flops off. She walked along the shoreline and every so often the cool water would rush over her feet.

Fifteen minutes after going upstairs Oscar was asleep, Joey walked into the lounge, noticing Lauren was missing.

'She's outside' Tanya told him 'take this out with you' she said, pulling a shawl off the back of the sofa 'it gets a little chilly at night'

Joey took the pink shawl, pulling a face 'I'm not sure it's my colour' he told her sarcastically.

'It's for Lauren!' Tanya smiled back, shaking her head with a laugh.

Joey went outside to find Lauren and saw her sitting down on the sand staring out to sea. He walked over to her and draped the shawl over her shoulders. He was pleased when he noticed she didn't flinch or stiffen at his sudden touch.

'Your mum said you might be a bit a cold' he told her.

'Thank you' she smiled wrapping it around her shoulders a little tighter. Joey sat down beside her.

'Did Oscar go down okay?' she glanced at him.

'Yeah, about five minutes into the story. The first ten minutes I got a guided tour of his room, he even showed me his secret stash of sweets, let me have one after I promised not to tell you or Tanya where his hiding place is' he said with a smile 'he's grown up so much since the last time I saw him. He told me he loves you being here, his big sister, Lauren'

'I should've come here sooner' she admitted.

'You look ….great' he said.

'I feel good' Lauren admitted to him 'I haven't felt this way in a long time. It's like being here has taken a huge weight off my shoulders that I didn't even know was there' she told him softly.

'Good. I'm glad' he told her 'you look happy' he added.

'I live on the beach and have an incredible view every single day. The air is fresh and not polluted. There's peace and quiet nearly all the time' she said, looking at the waves breaking on the shore 'me and mum are closer than ever and Oscar…. Oscar's great, I really missed him, even though inexplicably he smells of peanut butter and mud most of the time' she added with a smile.

Joey laughed softly 'I wondered what the smell was but I couldn't quite put my finger on it' he told her. Lauren looked at him with a smile.

'You look better too. Less tired, less stressed out' she said to him. 'Is work okay?'

'Yeah' he nodded his head 'it's been pretty busy lately, I've been covering a lot of shifts, sometimes doing doubles. We've been short staffed which is why I haven't been able to come down and see you before now' he explained to her 'On the plus side the bank account is pretty healthy'

'That's good' she nodded her head turning her gaze back to the sea. She knew that during the guided tour of the house, with Lewis turning up and distracting her, she hadn't told Joey where he was sleeping. She didn't want to assume he'd want to sleep in her room, with her. A large elephant trundled along the sand and stared at them. After a long pause she spoke 'I made up the spare room for you' she told him softly.

Joey glanced at her 'Thanks' he said softly, managing to hide his surprise and disappointment that she didn't want to share a bed with him. 'You didn't have to go to any trouble, I'd be fine on the sofa' he told her. At least she'd answered one of his questions without him having to ask. He took a breath and let it out slowly 'Listen, Lauren, there's something I need to tell you' he told her.

Lauren felt her stomach clench. She wondered if this was the part where he was going to tell her he'd met someone else. She remembered a conversation they'd had via Skype, where they both promised if they met someone else they'd tell each other face to face and not on the phone or by text. They'd also agreed Skype didn't count as to face to face.

'Shall we walk?' she asked, getting up and wiping sand off the back of her skirt without waiting for an answer.

Joey turned to see her walking ahead of him 'Okay. We're walking' he said to himself as he got up, running the little distance between them to catch her up. The elephant trailed behind them, watching them intently. Joey licked his lips 'I guess there's not really a way to sugar coat this so I'm just going to come out and say it' Joey told her 'I didn't sell the gym like you asked me to. I didn't give it away and I didn't burn it to the ground' Lauren glanced at him

'What?' she frowned, surprised by his announcement. It wasn't what she was expecting to hear.

'With Janine's help, I turned it from a boxing ring to an actual gym, where people can go for fitness' he continued 'We completely gutted the place and refurbished it. It looks completely different now. Tyler's sort of running it and I've been taking care of the bills and the upkeep. Janine's been pretty hands on too, in helping me get things up and running. For the first month we didn't do so well, but now, it's doing really good' he told her and he pulled a book out of his pocket and held it out to her 'well, you can see for yourself' he looked at her expectantly.

She took the book, looking at it. 'What's this?'

'Your profit from the gym' he told her. She stopped walking whilst she looked at it.

'This much in a month?' Lauren asked him, shocked.

'Yeah, we had an auction of some of the memorabilia in there, with Uncle Jack's blessing, of course. We made a bit of money on it. We didn't sell everything. We kept Jim's posters and medals and gave them to Dot' he told her 'So it's not your average monthly income'

'Joey, there's a lot of money in here' she told him.

'It's only £9200' he told her with a shrug. He looked at her 'are you angry with me?' he asked her. She looked up at him briefly and then back at the book 'I know I went against what you asked me to do but when I spoke to Janine, then your dad and Uncle Jack about my idea, they all agreed it could potentially make money… so I went ahead and did it' he told her 'The gym belongs to you so the money is yours' he told her 'and there'll be more to come'

Lauren chewed on her bottom lip 'you did this for me?' she asked him.

'Yes. Of course I did' he told her 'Lucy's looking after the books…she's been pretty amazing actually, she's had some really good ideas. Brought people in from all over Walford' he told her.

'Lucy?' Lauren repeated, feeling a sense of deja-vu as the green eyed monster reared its ugly head.

'Yeah' Joey nodded his head 'Whitney's been involved too and Phil'

'I can't take this money, Joey' she said, closing the book and handing it back to him 'you are the one who's done all the hard work, you've earned it not me' she replied as she started walking again.

Joey frowned and put the book back in his pocket before following her again 'So does that mean you're angry with me?' he asked her.

She smiled, shaking her head 'no, I'm not angry with you' she told him 'What you did was very thoughtful and really nice' she said to him 'but I haven't had anything to do with it, it wouldn't be fair for me to take the money you've worked so hard to make' she told him.

Joey had suspected she was going to react this way about the money 'Then I'll leave the book with your mum… in case you change your mind' he told her 'I didn't do this for me Lauren, I did it for you'

'What did you call it?' Lauren asked him 'Is it still Bashers?'

'Nope' Joey shook his head 'I changed the name'

'To what?' she asked him.

'Well, I kind of wanted it to be a surprise for when you came back' he told her.

Suddenly the elephant was back kicking sand absently around as an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

'Oh' Lauren nodded her head 'I'll just call Abi' she teased him 'You know she won't be able to resist telling me'

'She hasn't told you anything about it so far' he pointed out.

'Yes. But only because I didn't know about it then. Abi's good at keeping secrets if the other person doesn't have a clue, but once they do… she's easy to break' she told him with a grin.

The elephant glared at Lauren but she ignored it and walked around it, carrying on further down the beach.

For the rest of the walk along the beach, they both ignored the burning questions they were dying to ask each other. Instead they talked about Alice, Abi, Oscar, everything and anything rather than the issues at hand. When Lauren yawned, they turned and headed back to the house.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Once inside, they found Tanya had already gone to bed. Lauren yawned again.

'I'm really sorry, Joey, but I've been up since 5:00am. Do you mind if I go to bed?' she asked him.

'No, course not' he told her shaking his head 'I'm pretty beat too to be honest, it was a long tiring drive to get here'

'Okay' she said 'You can use the bathroom first, I'll lock up down here'

'Alright' Joey got up. He went up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Lauren took her time downstairs, making sure everything was locked up and switched off. She went up the stairs, flicking the light off on her way up. She reached the top of the stairs as Joey came out of the bathroom. She smiled at him.

'Have you got everything you need?' she asked.

'Yep..' he nodded his head 'I'm good' he told her.

'So, this is your room' she told him softly, opening the door to the spare room, they both gazed at each other for a long moment, feeling the awkwardness build between them again 'Okay good, well goodnight' she said softly.

'Night' he told her. He turned to go but turned back to her, 'don't I get a goodnight kiss?' Joey asked her. She knew she was staring at him as though he'd suddenly grown two heads, but she couldn't seem to get herself to reply… or move. Lauren swallowed, her nervousness coming back in waves. Joey smiled and moved forward, kissing her softly on the cheek. 'Night Lauren' he said softly. He went into his room and closed the door. Leaning up against it, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

**AN: Well Lauren and Joey's reunion didn't quite go the way either of them planned or thought it would. Oscar seemed to have fun though and was pleased to see his big cousin. They didn't ask the questions they were both dying to ask each other though. Oh well...we'll just have to see what happens in the morning won't we? R&R As always **


	96. Chapter 96

**Chapter Ninety-Five**

Even though both of them was tired, neither of them could sleep. Lauren was practically kicking herself for not kissing Joey when he'd given her the opportunity to do so. But then again he'd only kissed her on the cheek, what if he'd meant for her to do the same and she tried to kiss him the way she wanted to kiss him. How would she be feeling now if he'd pushed her away and told her that wasn't what he meant?

She sighed, rolling onto her back and throwing her arms over her head as she stared at the ceiling. If she was honest today had been a real let down. She'd been so excited to see Joey. Even though she was downplaying it for her mother, she hadn't known what to expect exactly, they hadn't seen each other for three months but they'd spoken every single day, multiple times. She just knew she wasn't expecting their reunion to be this awkward though and she didn't understand why it was.

She shifted again in her bed, rolling onto her stomach, punching her pillows until they were fluffed up a bit more. She wondered if he'd found someone else…he said himself he'd been spending a lot of time with Janine. That idea made her shudder, Janine certainly wasn't Joey's type. He didn't go for cougars. She grinned to herself. Maybe it was Lucy, again. The grin faded from her face and was replaced with a frown. By his own admission he'd been spending a lot of time with Lucy, and the last time Lauren had gone away, spending time with Lucy meant sleeping with her. Lauren's frown deepened. Maybe she should've kept in more regular contact with Lucy whilst she had been away. But then again, she'd been talking to Whitney and Alice on a regular basis, so surely one of them would've told her if Joey had hooked up with Lucy. And if neither one of them did then Kat would've done without question. Lauren was certain of that.

And then there was the way Joey acted with Lewis. Everyone who met Lewis loved him from the very first meeting. Lauren did, her mother did. Oscar worshipped him, (in much the same way he worshipped Joey). But Joey apparently wasn't a fan. Joey had been a little rude and standoffish with him, causing Lauren to glare at him once or twice. She wondered what his problem with Lewis was. In fact she was going to ask him about tonight, but then he'd surprised her with the whole "I've built a new gym for you" deal. She shook her head as she thought about it and that in turn made her think about Lucy again.

She rolled over again and groaned, throwing the covers off herself. There was no way she was going to be going to sleep anytime soon. She just had too much running though her head. She decided she'd get up and go downstairs, maybe make herself some hot milk. She smiled as she remembered her mum making it for her the first weeks she'd been here to help her sleep, or when she had woken up from a nightmare. Hot milk would definitely help.

She let herself out of her room as quietly as she could and crept down the stairs, but not before pausing outside of Joey's room, listening to see if she could hear him moving around in case he was awake.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey lay awake thinking about what had happened outside his bedroom door earlier. He'd asked Lauren for a goodnight kiss. He had no idea where that had come from, the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. But as soon as he'd said them he knew he couldn't take them back, and boy, did he want to take them back. Lauren had looked like a rabbit in headlights, stunned by the mere suggestion of kissing Joey. So Joey had done the only thing he could to dig himself out the giant hole he'd dug for himself, he leant forward and gave her a soft, quick kiss on her cheek and sought refuge in his room. He wondered what the reasons Lauren had for not wanting them to share her bed tonight or even her room. He wondered why she'd made up the spare room for him to sleep in. Maybe it has something to do with Lewis.

He sighed and rolled onto his back, crossing his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. If he was honest today had been a huge disappointment, not that he wasn't pleased to see her. He was, but he'd been so excited to see her, he'd even told Lucy and anyone who would listen how he was so excited to be going to see Lauren. Now he wondered what he was going to tell them when he returned home. He didn't expect things to be or to feel this awkward between them, not when they'd spoken to each other every single day, multiple times.

He rolled over onto his side, pulling a pillow down length ways to plump it up before he put it back under his head. He wondered if she'd found someone else…he knew she'd been spending a lot of time with Lewis. He'd met Lewis today and though Lauren said he'd love him, he didn't. He knew he hadn't really given the boy a chance. He'd been more than a little rude and standoffish with him, which had earned him an angry glare or two from Lauren, which he pretended he didn't see. Lewis was nearly two years younger than Lauren so he was happy to call him a boy. Personally he thought Lewis wasn't Lauren's type, she didn't go for toy boys. She liked her men older. He grinned to himself. He knew Lauren had been in regular contact with Alice and Whitney and he hoped if she'd told them she was seeing Lewis or someone else they would've told him. And if neither one of them did then Kat would've done, Joey was certain of that.

He wondered if she was angry with him for what he'd done with the gym. She'd been pretty adamant she wanted nothing to do with it and had told him to have it demolished. He wanted to surprise her, to do something nice for her. He'd thought she'd be pleased, she hadn't reacted the way he'd thought she would, well except about the money. That reaction he'd been expecting, but at least she'd shown a little interest in what he'd named it. He'd noticed when he'd suggested she find out when she came home, she'd changed the subject….no she'd plainly avoided the subject and said she'd get the name of the gym out of Abi. He made a mental note to talk to Abi when he got back to Walford and make sure she didn't tell Lauren anything about the gym.

He rolled to lay on his back again, throwing the covers off himself. He would go downstairs and get some water, maybe put on the TV with the volume low, find some mind numbing programme to watch in the hopes it would help his mind stop running through everything. He climbed out and bed, his hand reached for the door handle and he froze as the floorboards creaked outside his room. For a brief few seconds he thought it might be Lauren. Maybe she was going to come into his room. He waited for a little while longer and then decided he was just imagining things. He put the noise down to the creaks and groans of a house he wasn't used to.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren put the milk on to boil and reached for a cup from the cupboard, placing it on the side and turning back to watch the milk.

'You know a watched pot never boils' Joey's voice came from the doorway. She turned to look at him, a little startled 'Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…I just ….came to get some water' he explained.

'I'm making some hot milk if you want some?' she offered.

'Sounds great, thanks' he replied with a smile. He walked into the kitchen and Lauren saw he was wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and a blue t-shirt that showed his muscles underneath. She suddenly wished she'd thought to put her robe on, instead she was standing there in a pair of shorts and a t-strap t-shirt. She swallowed and licked her lips as she reached for another cup and then added some more milk to the pan.

'You can't sleep either?' Lauren asked him.

'Nope' Joey shook his head.

'It's probably the quiet, it takes some getting used to' she said to him 'It took me nearly a week of being here before I could sleep properly' she glanced at the milk and then leant against the sink, so she could see both Joey and the pan. 'It's a pity you're only staying for a weekend' she told him 'next time you'll have to come for longer, a week, maybe two' Joey nodded, well that answered another one of his questions, he wouldn't be going back to Walford with her this weekend. Lauren took a breath 'You were pretty rude to Lewis' she told him 'You'd like him if you gave him a chance'

Joey took a deep breath and let it out slowly 'Doubt that' he murmured under his breath, Lauren either didn't hear him or ignored him

'He was looking forward to meeting you, apparently I haven't shut up about you since I've been here and the past week all I've talked about is you' she told him. She moved closer to the stove glancing in the pan at the milk 'Lewis said I made you sound as though you walked on water and then you go and act like that, making me look stupid'

Joey blinked 'sorry' he said to her 'I guess I was a bit jealous' he decided to be honest.

'Jealous of what?' she asked him, surprise evident in her voice. 'He's just a friend, besides he's not my type and I'm pretty certain I'm not his' she told him. She crossed to the drawer and got some spoons out and placed them next to the cups. 'In fact I'm pretty certain he's already developed a crush on you despite the way you were with him today'

'A crush on me?...Lew….Lewis is gay?' Joey asked her, unable to keep the astonishment out of his voice.

'Yes' Lauren replied 'He is. Why do you have a problem with that?' Lauren turned to look at him with a frown, not realising he had moved to stand directly behind her. She gasped at how close he was.

'So does that mean you're not involved with him?' he asked her, finally getting straight to the point.

'Of course I'm not involved with him' Lauren said frowning again 'you thought I was seeing him?' she asked surprised, Joey nodded his head.

'I was worried you were' he admitted to her softly.

'I'm not' she repeated shaking her head. 'I'm not seeing anyone' she told him. Joey's eyes fell to her lips and she swallowed. He reached out and turned the hob off, lifting his hand and brushing her hair away from her face to gently tuck it behind her ear, 'Are you …?' she left the question unspoken.

'No' Joey whispered. They could both feel the anticipation crackling in the air between them, 'I already have a girlfriend' he told her 'One I haven't seen for 3 months, one I miss like crazy, even though I talk to her everyday' he moved closer to her and she felt one of his hands slide to her waist. The other one cupped her cheek, she could feel his breath on her lips; her heart was thumping so hard in her chest, she was surprised he couldn't hear it 'Are you still my girl?' he whispered to her.

'Always' she whispered back.

Joey smiled, moving forward to kiss her softly, his lips brushing lightly against hers. She stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as his tongue slid between her lips to sweep around her mouth. They both gave a soft moan as they felt the passion between them burst into flames. When the kiss ended Joey pressed his forehead against hers. She grabbed his hand and led him from the kitchen, the milk forgotten. She led him up the stairs towards her room, Joey let her lead him inside and she closed the door behind them.

**AN: Oh! Looks as though the reunion they'd both hoped for is about to start and sooner than they thought too! Such a cruel place to end the chapter I know! WOW Look how many reviews I have I am so humbled by the response to Revelry... thank you so much for all your reviews and kind words I am so glad you like Revelry! R&R As always **


	97. Chapter 97

**AN: As you have all asked so nicely without me having to set you a challenge and as you are all so so good…. Here is a reward… the next chapter! **

**Chapter Ninety-Six**

Joey swallowed nervously as Lauren walked towards the bed to switch on her bedside lamp, a soft glow of light lit the dark room. She turned, walking towards him and sliding her hands up his chest slowly, feeling the muscles rippling beneath her fingertips. Her hand rested over his heart and she could feel it racing under her palm. He was itching to touch her but he kept his hands fisted down by his side, letting her lead this.

'Your heart is racing' she told him softly.

'Yeah it is' he replied huskily. She slid her hands up to his shoulders and into the hair at the nape of his neck.

'Mine is too' she whispered 'I've missed you so much, Joey' she told him before drawing his lips to hers. He responded to the kiss but his arms stayed by his sides. 'it's okay Joey, you can touch me' she whispered, taking his hands and placing them on her waist before stepping forward and pressing her body against his. She circled her arms around his neck again as he kissed her, tongues duelling. Joey was drowning in the taste of her, the feel of her in his arms again. He took a step forward, guiding her towards the bed, his intention to just kiss her and hold her in his arms, maybe even fall asleep with her and wake up with her again in the morning. God, he'd missed waking up with her.

He felt her hands on his wrists, moving them off her waist. She took hold of the bottom of Joey's t-shirt and pulled it up. He raised his arms over his head, helping her to pull it off. She dropped it on the floor and let her gaze run over his torso.

'Have you been working out?' she asked him.

'I go to the gym a lot' he replied with a smirk.

'It shows' she whispered with a smile, moving forward to press a trail of open mouthed kisses over his chest. As her tongue flicked over his nipple, he felt her hands on his waist and then his sweatpants being lowered.

'Babe…..' he whispered, taking her hands in his, linking his fingers through hers and halting her attempts to undress him.

She pulled back to look at him and he kissed her, walking her back towards the bed. He felt her stop when they reached it and he broke the kiss and bent down sweeping her into his arms, climbing onto the bed and laying her down gently. Her fingers slid into his hair again as their mouths fused together.

She gave a tiny moan when his lips moved to her neck, licking and kissing the skin there. Her hand slid over his chest, moving lower over his stomach and then lower still. He caught her hand, linking his fingers through hers, lifting her arm he pressed it into the pillow next to her head as he moved his lips back to hers.

Long moments later, after being thwarted at every attempt to get into Joey's pants, she tried another tack, she took his hand that was currently sitting at her waist and slowly and cautiously moved it to her breast, Joey groaned into her mouth as he realised what she'd done. He rolled them so he was on his back and she straddled him. It was only then Joey realised he'd made a mistake, that Lauren now had freedom to do what she wanted. She ground herself against his very evident erection and gave a small sigh.

'Babe…' he moved his hands to her waist, his plan to stop her grinding against him and roll them again, but she'd already started to pull her top up and her breasts were bared to his gaze. He groaned as she wriggled in his lap, knowing he needed to get control of the situation again. The last thing he wanted for their first weekend together in three months was for it to be tainted by a repeat of what happened when they'd first tried to have sex again. He sat up, inadvertently pulling her down against his throbbing cock in the process, causing them to both moan loudly at the contact. 'Lauren, we don't have to do this' he told her seriously, although every single cell in his body wanted to. 'I didn't come down here for this…'

Lauren smiled at him 'I know' she said 'I want to' she told him seriously 'I want you Joey'

'And you know I want you' he replied as she wriggled on his lap again 'but we don't need to rush into this, Lauren….I'm okay with doing what we were doing before, until you're ready...'

She silenced him with a long heated kiss that left them both breathless and craving more 'I'm ready, Joey' she told him when the kiss ended 'we've waited long enough…please?' she whispered softly. Joey wasn't sure how long his self-control would hold out for. He wanted her; he wanted her badly. Looking into his eyes she could see he was torn about what to do. She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, to his nose, his cheek and then his jaw before she bit down with blunt teeth on his neck, licking the skin beneath 'Make love to me, Joey, make me yours again' she whispered in his ear.

His self-control failed him as he heard those words and he rolled them both again, kissing her with a renewed passion and hunger. She thought he'd changed his mind when he pulled away from her moments later and climbed off the bed, but she was relieved when he stripped of his sweatpants and then pulled her shorts from her body, leaving both of them naked before climbing back onto the bed and moving over her, she opened her legs, cradling his hips between her thighs.

'Are you sure, Lauren?' he asked her once more, his voice dripping with lust, his eyes burned into hers and she knew in that moment she'd spent too much time being afraid, of not being with him this way. She nodded her head once.

'Yes' she replied. He kissed her again and positioned himself against her entrance, not being able to resist brushing his fingers against her, surprised to find she was already so wet for him.

They both gasped as he pushed inside her and he stilled instantly, thinking he'd hurt her or she'd changed her mind. He looked down at her with a worried expression on his face. She smiled up at him, her fingers stroking his cheek lightly 'It's okay, Joey' she whispered 'I'm okay' she lifted one of her legs to hook it around his waist and he moved a little deeper inside her. He groaned and screwed his eyes shut as he felt her tight, hot, wetness surrounding him.

'Babe, this isn't going to last long' he told her, somewhat apologetically.

'It's alright, we have all weekend' she replied with a grin.

Joey watched her face as he began slowly thrusting inside her. There was no fear on her face, no pain, just complete trust and pure pleasure as he moved easily inside her.

'Fuck!' Joey groaned, burying his face in her neck as he felt his orgasm building. 'Fuck!'

'Joey… harder…..' Lauren murmured 'please…..need…..harder….' she panted beneath him. He granted her request and began to thrust into her a little harder. Lauren clutched his back and arched up beneath him. Joey knew he was close and he wanted her to come when he did. His fingers slipped between their joined bodies, his thumb brushed against her clit lightly and she exploded around him, crying out loudly as the building climax rocketed through her at full force. Joey wasn't far behind her as the feeling of her tightening around him pulled his orgasm from him, her name falling from his lips over and over, much like his did from hers. He stilled inside her and after a few moments he lifted his head and looked down at the woman he loved with every fibre of his being. Her tear filled eyes met his, he brushed one that escaped away with his thumb 'I love you' she whispered breathlessly.

'I love you too, Lauren' he murmured back and he lowered his head and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

**AN: Now that's more like it! Their weekend has finally started and they've reaffirmed their relationship and feelings for each other. So what happens now? Will Lauren go back to Walford with him? And what has happened to Michael? Let me know what you think of Revelry…Leave me a review. R&R As always **


	98. Chapter 98

**AN: Thank you all for your reviews for both chapters yesterday…. I am having problems replying to reviews at the moment so I thought I would say a big ****THANK YOU**** to you all here instead. Xx **

**Chapter Ninety-seven**

Lauren was the first to wake up the next morning. She smiled as she opened her eyes to see Joey's head next to hers on the pillow. She was content, for the moment to watch him sleep as he lay there. She'd missed this, not the sex, although she had missed the sex too. But these moments she'd missed a lot, just lying in bed with Joey, watching him sleep. He frowned and mumbled something, rolling onto his back with a groan. Lauren's smile got wider, she knew he was waking up. She took a deep breath and held it, biting her bottom lip nervously. He raised his hands and rubbed his face before rolling back onto his side. His eyes opened a fraction, closed again and then opened wide. She watched as a very sexy smile slowly spread across his face.

'Hi' he said softly.

'Hi' she replied.

'I thought I dreamt it' he admitted to her 'Last night…'

'Nope' she shook her head 'if you like I can give you a little reminder?' she smiled moving forward to kiss him. His hand slid into her hair as he deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into her mouth. His free hand slid under the covers and moved to her waist, rolling them both so he was hovering over her. Lauren's stomach chose this moment to rumble loudly and they both giggled breaking the kiss.

'I think someone needs to be fed' he told her with a smile, 'how about I make you breakfast?' he asked her.

'I think that's a good idea' she replied with an embarrassed smile.

'Come on then, you' he told her. He stole another kiss and dragged himself away from her, out of the bed pulling on his discarded clothes.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

They held hands as they made their way into the kitchen. Lauren got everything out of the fridge he would need to make breakfast.

'Bacon and eggs?' he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

'I've worked up an appetite' she replied with a grin 'I'll do the toast and coffee' she told him.

'Okay' he smiled at her, turning to his cooking task.

She made the coffee and laid the table. She walked to the fridge, getting the orange juice and milk out and placing those on the table too. As she walked past Joey again he felt her hand brush over his bum as she walked to the toaster. She pulled the bread out of the bag with a smile as she felt Joey's hands slide around her waist, his mouth on her neck as he sucked and kissed her skin. Dropping the bread she turned in his arms, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders as he slid his hands to her bottom and squeezing it gently.

Tanya walked into the kitchen, seeing both of them involved in a pretty intense kissing session. 'Are you two trying to burn down my house?' she playfully scolded them as she moved to the stove and flipped the bacon over and stirred the eggs.

They broke apart and Lauren giggled, Joey cleared his throat 'Sorry Auntie Tan' he said 'here let me do this, you and Lauren sit'

'Oscar not up yet?' Lauren smiled at her boyfriend as she took a seat at the table with her mother

'He's still deciding what he wants to wear so I've left him to it' she said shaking her head, Lauren poured her mother a coffee and slid it across the table to her.

'Oh thank you darling, I need this' she said as she took a sip.

Lauren swallowed looking at her mother. 'Did we wake you up?' Lauren asked her.

'Mmm…no… no, of course not…' Tanya's eyes widened as she tried to go for an innocent look, she failed miserably.

'Sorry' Lauren said, not able to keep the grin off her face.

'Yeah, you look it' Tanya smiled at her shaking her head. Joey kept his focus on the food, feeling himself blushing at the conversation between his girlfriend and his aunt. 'So I thought I would take Oscar out for the day, give you two the chance to have the place to yourselves' she told the both of them.

'Mum, you don't have to do that' Lauren said softly, secretly thrilled at the prospect of having the house to themselves.

'He needs some new clothes and shoes. So I can throw away some of the ones that don't fit him anymore' she told them 'I thought you'd appreciate not having a curious little brother around today'

'Well, yeah I would but I don't want you to feel you have to leave because of us…we don't mind going out for the day' Lauren suggested.

Joey glanced at his girlfriend, not agreeing with her last statement. He minded. He minded a lot. There was only one place he wanted to be, one thing he wanted to be doing and it wasn't something he wanted to do outside where anyone could just walk by and discover them. Tanya didn't miss the look he gave her. She smiled.

'It's okay' Tanya said 'I can pop into the salon too, get a few jobs done in town I've been putting off' she licked her lips, raising her cup to her mouth to drink some more coffee. Joey served up the food and he turned and put a plate down in front of his girlfriend and was rewarded with a 100 mega-watt smile. He returned it and felt his stomach flutter. He turned towards Tanya 'There is just one request. Not on my new sofa please' she said with a small smirk, taking a mouthful of coffee. Joey nearly dropped the plate of food into Tanya's lap, only just managing to put it down on the table, albeit, with a loud thud. He turned back to the counter picking up his own plate and taking a seat on the other side of the table.

Lauren grinned 'Got it, sofa off limits' she nodded her head. The two girls glanced at Joey who was suddenly very interested in his plate of food.

'And the kitchen table is off limits too!' Tanya said giving her daughter a playful stern look

Lauren got up as the toast popped out of the toaster. She piled the toast onto a plate and took it back to the table.

'You're very quiet, Joey' Tanya said with a wink at Lauren.

Joey took a breath and looked up at her 'Hungry' he mumbled his face red.

'Mum!' Lauren shook her head, taking pity on him, Tanya watched as Lauren buttered some toast for him and put it on his plate.

'Thanks, babe' Joey replied with a smile, his cheeks still red.

'I'd better go and see what's keeping Oscar' Tanya put her cup down and got up. She walked to the stairs and called up 'Oscar. You're breakfast is getting cold' she called up.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Later Lauren and Joey had finished cleaning up in the kitchen and Tanya and Oscar were ready to go out.

'Is there anything you need in town, darling?' Tanya asked Lauren.

'No thanks' she shook her head 'unless you feel like treating me to those boots that are on sale?'

'We'll see' Tanya replied 'Remember what I said. Not on the sofa please'

Lauren rolled her eyes 'Yes mum. Thank you. Bye' she said ushering them both out of the house. She closed the door behind them and turning, leaning against the door. Her eyes met Joey's.

'Sorry about mum, she thinks she's being amusing' she apologised.

'She knows about the sofa and the kitchen table?' he asked her.

Lauren blushed and nodded her head 'we talked a lot…the sofa thing just came out when she asked me when we took that step in our relationship' she told him with a small smile 'sorry…'

Joey smiled shaking his head 'It's okay. It's good to see you and your mum close again' he told her. She nodded, turning to the door, and flicking the lock. Lauren took Joey's hand and led him over to the sofa, biting her bottom lip and raising her eyebrows at him suggestively.

'Lauren… your mum specifically said….' he trailed off as she shimmied out of her shorts, and pulled her top over her head, standing naked in front of him.

'Mum said what?' she asked him as his eyes wandered over her body appreciatively, followed by his hands.

'You're going to get us both into a lot of trouble' he told her with a smile as he lowered her back onto the sofa.

'You could've said no' Lauren told him with a smile

'Now she tells me' he murmured as she reached up to kiss him.

**AN: Poor Joey getting embarrassed when Tanya teased them about their relationship. At least she's taken Oscar out for the day giving Lauren and Joey the opportunity to spend some much needed time together. And after being told not to christen the sofa it look as though they're going to…. Let me know what you think about Revelry. R&R As always **


	99. Chapter 99

**Chapter Ninety-eight**

After their sofa sex session, they moved back up to Lauren's bedroom, just in case they fell asleep or Oscar and her mother came back earlier than they were expecting.

Lauren was laying on her stomach, her arms folded underneath her head, facing Joey. Joey was propped up on one elbow, his fingers tracing up and down her spine, the duvet lay on the floor at the foot of the bed.

'I wish you could stay longer' Lauren told him 'Three days isn't long enough'

'I know' Joey said softly 'part of me hoped you'd be coming back with me' he told her honestly.

Lauren sighed 'I'm not ready to go back yet, Joey' she told him 'I've thought about it a lot and I think I need some more time here….'

'How much time?' he didn't want to pressure her, but he wanted to know roughly how long they'd be having a long distance relationship for. How long he'd have to keep himself busy for, to stop the pain he felt when he missed her.

'Oscar wants me to stay for Christmas' she told him carefully.

'Christmas is three and a half months away' he looked at her.

'Yes, it is but last year….well it wasn't exactly the best Christmas in the Branning household was it, hey?' she asked him 'Poor little Oscar has never really had his dream Christmas and I don't want to break his heart and tell him I can't stay' she told him softly 'maybe you could come down. Spend Christmas here with us?' she asked him in equal measure of hopefulness and excitement.

'I can't leave Alice' he told her 'Mum's going away with Aunt Rose on a girl's holiday'

'Well, Alice could come here too' Lauren suggested.

'Having me and Alice here is going to deflect the attention away from Oscar though, ain't it?' he asked her softly 'I'm not saying I don't want to, you know I want to be with you' she nodded her head, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly 'besides you still have some painting to do in Oscar's room, and you've yet to master how to stand up on a surfboard' he said with a smile.

'True' she said softly, knowing he was making excuses for her so she didn't feel bad. This was one of the many reasons she loved him.

'Hey, I meant what I said about you staying here for as long as you needed to' he told her gently 'and if, after Christmas you decide you don't want to come back to Walford then we'll work something out, okay?' he asked her. She nodded 'Alice has friends there, she doesn't really need me to look out for her anymore, so if you decide you want to stay here, then maybe we can find a place together, or maybe I can find a place nearby' he told her. He licked his lips 'And Alice can visit….'

'You'd move here?' she asked him in surprise.

'Yes' he said honestly. 'If you wanted to move to the…North Pole I'd go with you, assuming you wanted me to. I'd follow you anywhere, Lauren' he said softly.

Lauren felt her heart swell with love for the man lying beside her. He was her best friend, her soul mate and (newly renewed) lover all rolled into one. If anyone had told her a year earlier that the arrival of Derek Branning, (followed by his daughter Alice), would've meant she'd meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger and fallen in love with him, she would've told them to get a life….but it was true, she had.

They'd been so worried no one would accept their relationship, they'd felt they needed to hide it from everyone. Somehow they'd managed to hide from everyone for months, but when the truth did come out, the only people who'd an issue with them were Derek, Grandma Dot (who Joey won over much to Lauren's surprise) and of course Lucy. Everyone else had been accepting of them, seeing how happy they made each other. She moved slightly, leaning over so she could kiss him gently.

'You're so good to me, Joey' she said softly 'I don't deserve you'

'Yeah, well I fancy you, don't I?' he teased her gently, catching her face with his hand and pulling her in for another deep kiss. 'I really, really fancy you' he said as he encouraged her to straddle him.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Tanya glanced up the stairs as she opened the door at 6:30pm. She'd managed to exhaust Oscar and she carried the sleeping little boy up to his room. She took his shoes and coat off and tucked him into bed. She heard no noise from Lauren's room so she assumed they were asleep, she doubted they would have gone out anywhere. She crept down the stairs and heard a giggle from the living room. She pushed open the door and saw Lauren and Joey on the sofa. Joey was asleep and Lauren was tickling Joey's nose with her hair, every so often his nose would twitch and he'd raise his hand and rub his nose with a groan and frown. Lauren would leave it for a few seconds and then do it again and giggle at Joey's reaction. Tanya shook her head, smiling at her daughter.

'Leave me alone, woman!' Joey growled at Lauren as she did it again 'I'm trying to sleep here!'

Lauren giggled 'You like it really' she told him with a smile.

'Yes, I enjoy being interfered with when I'm trying to sleep' he frowned and caught her hand as she moved to do it again 'will you pack it up!' he complained. Tanya went into the kitchen and she laughed as she suddenly heard Lauren squeal and giggle 'don't like it so much now, do you, hey?'

'Joey! Please! Stop!' she squealed 'that tickles…'

'It's meant to' she heard Joey reply laughing with her, a few minutes later she heard nothing.

She knew well enough when there was silence there was usually mischief taking place. She walked to the lounge and found them in a rather compromising position.

'I meant what I said about my sofa remaining un-christened' she called back to them as she returned to the kitchen.

Joey and Lauren broke apart and she could hear whispers coming from the lounge. A few seconds later she heard someone go up the stairs and Lauren's bedroom door close.

'I didn't hear you come in' Lauren said, leaning up against the doorway.

'About five minutes ago' she told her 'Oscar's in bed, I've worn him out' she said with a smile.

'So what are your plans for tonight?'

'A good movie, a glass of wine and some chocolate' Tanya told her 'no need to ask you what your plans for tonight are'

'Nope' Lauren said, having the decency to blush 'Well I should be going upstairs…..' she said, edging out of the room.

'Good thing I came home when I did hey, rescued my poor sofa' Tanya teased her.

'Actually, you're about 9 hours too late' Lauren grinned as she dashed for the stairs.

'Oh! Lauren Branning!' Tanya exclaimed 'Tell me you didn't!' she glanced down at the sofa a little grossed out.

**AN: Lauren's not planning on returning home with Joey anytime soon, well not for nearly four months at least. Will they be able to continue with their long distance relationship or it will break down? And Lauren is so naughty telling her mother that she's 9 hours too late for rescuing her sofa from being "christened"! R&R As always **


	100. Chapter 100

**Chapter Ninety-Nine**

Lauren woke up at 2:00am hungry. She glanced over at Joey and carefully got out of bed, pulling on her robe. She tiptoed out of the room and crept down the stairs.

She snuck into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She made herself a sandwich and unlocked the back door, going outside. She sat down on the decking and looked out at the beach, the moon was full and large tonight, sparkling on the surface of the sea like diamonds. She wished Joey was awake so he could share this beautiful romantic view with her.

As Lauren ate she thought about Joey. Although they'd been apart for 3 months and there had been some initial awkwardness when they'd seen each other again, they'd fallen back into their friendship with ease. And their sexual relationship was better than ever, even though it'd only be renewed 24 hours ago. She knew Joey was still holding back with her, being careful of her and she loved him for it.

She finished her sandwich and stood up, brushing the crumbs of her lap. Making sure the door wasn't going to lock behind her, she pulled it closed and walked down to the water's edge. It was a warm September night and the water was cool and soothing as it ran over her feet.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Joey stirred, rolling over reaching for Lauren. He discovered her side of the bed was empty and he frowned. He got up, grabbing his sweatpants, throwing them on quickly. He made his way out of the bedroom and down the stairs 'Lauren?' he called out in a whisper. He saw the kitchen light on and walked through, but found the room empty. Joey glanced out of the window and saw Lauren standing on the beach. He opened the door and stepped out. Joey was surprised to find the sand was warm beneath his feet. He walked towards her, 'Babe?' he called out.

She turned and smiled at him 'Hey' she said.

'What are you doing out here? Couldn't you sleep?' he asked her in concern.

'I woke up and was hungry' she admitted to him 'I made a sandwich and I saw how beautiful the moon looked tonight and here I am' she said softly.

Joey looked up 'Wow, it is beautiful' he nodded in agreement. She turned round to look with him 'You don't get views like this in Walford'

'No, you don't' she replied 'and it's so peaceful here' she said, leaning back against Joey as he wrapped his arms around her.

'I can see why you wouldn't want to leave' he murmured.

'It's not that I don't want to leave. I'm just not ready to yet' she said 'there's a difference'

'I know' he said softly 'It's just …. I miss you'

'I miss you too, but you were right, what you said before I left. I needed time to deal with what happened to me, and the square wasn't the right place' she told him 'and if I'm honest I would've come here earlier if it wasn't for you' she said 'I didn't want to leave you, to be away from you. I was worried us being apart would mean….'

'I'd sleep with other girls?' he finished her sentence for her.

'Something like that, yeah' she nodded her head. 'It's not that I don't trust you, Joey' she said turning in his arms 'I do….I didn't trust us….. Me. I didn't trust I'd be enough to hold you…..'

'But now you do?' he asked her, she nodded her head.

'Everything we've been through, with Derek, Lucy, the car accident…My drinking…..Somehow we've always managed to find our way back to each other' she said to him 'You've seen me at my best, at my worst and you're still here. You still want me' she said softly.

Joey smiled at her, caressing her face gently with his fingertips, thinking how beautiful she looked in the moonlight 'I'll always want you' he replied 'I'm so completely in love with you, Lauren' he admitted to her softly 'I can't imagine living the rest of my life without you in it'

'Me either' she whispered softly 'I'm so glad you came to Walford, Joey. If it wasn't for you…you were my incentive to get better. To be the girl you deserved…the girl you knew I could be' she licked her lips 'I'd hate to think where I'd be now…if I'd even be alive…..' she trailed off.

'We don't need to think about that. Because you and I, we're together' he said 'and I'm not letting you go again' he whispered and drew her towards him, his lips brushing against her briefly 'You know, you're going to have to marry me one day' he said, testing the waters.

She smiled 'One day' she replied, reaching up for another kiss, which Joey was more than happy to give her.

'Let's go inside' he said softly, looping his arm around her shoulders, guiding them back towards the house. Once inside she turned and locked up the doors again. Joey smiled as she moved into his arms eagerly and willing, standing on her tiptoes so she could kiss him. He pulled her closer to him, angling his head to kiss her deeply. Lauren moaned softly, her hand dipping beneath the waist band of his sweatpants, finding his length and stroking it firmly. It didn't take long until he was hard and throbbing in her expert hand. She pushed his sweatpants down, moving to her knees and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as she took his cock into her mouth, sucking and licking him just the way she knew he liked it. He could honestly say she was the only girl who could have him begging for more with one simple look, with one solitary touch. She was the only girl who got him this aroused. She was the best sex he'd ever had, and as for her blow jobs….well they were fucking incredible. He tangled his fingers into her hair, as she brought him to a fast and hard climax. She eagerly swallowed his hot seed as he pulsed in her mouth. When he opened his eyes and looked down at her, she was grinning at him, licking her lips with satisfaction.

He tugged on her hair lightly and she stood up. Her hand brushing against his wilting member teasingly. He chuckled, knowing exactly what she was doing, knowing it would also work. Of all the girls Joey had been with, (and there were a lot), Lauren was the only one who could make him come and have him hard again, ready for more in the space of a few minutes. And his ego was inflated, knowing he could do exactly the same to her, giving her orgasm after orgasm and still leave her begging him for more, pushing her that little bit further than anyone else ever had.

Joey kissed her hungrily, loving the taste of himself in her mouth. He pulled the belt of her robe undone, sliding his hands inside, groaning when he found his fingers on the naked flesh beneath. He felt himself growing hard again and he slipped his fingers between her legs and found her wet. He eased a fingertip inside her, teasing her, wanting to hear her beg him to fuck her. Not that she needed to beg, because he was more than willing to fuck her and he would regardless, but it turned him on to hear her say it.

As if on cue, she gasped 'Joey … please…. More'

He pushed his finger inside her and she groaned again. He broke the kiss and picked her up one handed. She locked her legs around his waist, he walked her forwards and he pressed her back against the wall of the room. He continued to tease her, wanting to hear her say the words.

'Please Joey … I want you inside me'

'I am inside you' he whispered, smirking against her skin as his lips travelled over her neck and he inserted another finger, pushing and pulling them out of her in a slow steady rhythm.

'Not your fingers' she whispered back. He flicked her clit with his thumb and she gasped, her head falling back against the wall. 'Joe! Please… I want your cock…fucking me hard and fast' she told him.

That was what he'd been waiting to hear and Joey withdrew his fingers, thrusting into her in one swift hard movement, causing her to cry out.

'Sssh…. You'll have your mother down here' he chastised her quietly but conversely thrilled with her reaction too.

'Sorry…' she whispered burying her face in his neck, kissing the skin beneath her lips. He plunged into her hard and fast like she'd asked him to, like he needed to. She groaned against his neck 'Joe… more…' she begged him again 'please…. I need more'

He brought her to the brink of orgasm twice, stilling each time she almost broke waiting for it to subside before moving inside her again. He felt her rippling and tightening around him and knew she was close to the edge and he stilled again. She was gasping in lungful's of air and as he felt the trembling subside he started to move again, this time thought he had no intention of stopping. This time when Joey felt her building up again, he continued with his punishing rhythm and she came around him hard. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, using it to muffle her cries. Moments later, he pulsed and came inside her. Neither of them moved, neither of them wanted to move. Joey wasn't sure he could move. They were both breathing hard and fast, both of them sated but they still wanted more. Her lips moved along his throat, to his jaw, before pressing against mouth.

Joey felt himself growing hard again and he manoeuvred them both so they were lying on the kitchen floor.

'More…..' she whispered into the darkness. Joey couldn't agree more.

**AN: So the couple have talked a little bit more and they both know how deeply they feel about each other. They've already gone through so much in their relationship and they know how strong their relationship is. So they can get through anything… right? R&R As always **


	101. Chapter 101

**Chapter One Hundred **

Monday came and they both knew this was their last morning together before Joey had to leave and drive home. He'd offered to leave that night, giving them both a little more time together. But Lauren was worried about him driving back in the dark, so as a compromise he'd agreed to leave at lunchtime.

Tanya left them both alone as soon as breakfast was finished and they went for a walk on the beach. Joey had already packed and put his bags in the car to give him just a little bit more time with Lauren. He held her hand as they walked in silence towards the caves that Oscar had insisted on showing Joey on his first day here.

'I'll be back to see you soon' he reminded her softly 'As soon as I get back I'll arrange some more time off with Phil, maybe see if I can get a week off?' he suggested 'and we'll talk every day' he stopped walking and tugged on her hand. She turned to look at him. A sudden breeze caught her hair and blew it around her face, Joey smiled, brushing it away, he pulled the scrunchy off her wrist and tied her hair back in a ponytail.

'Thank you' she said. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

'Hey….This weekend has been the best weekend I've had for a long time. Don't be sad, babe. It's not as though we're never going to see each other again, is it?'

'I know. I just…maybe I should come back with you' she said, not wanting to be apart from him anymore.

'You said yourself, you needed some more time' he said, cupping her face in his hands 'We've got through the last 3 months okay, haven't we?' she nodded 'Well, then we can get through another month, can't we, hey?' she nodded her head again, tears falling from her eyes, 'don't…' he whispered softly, brushing them away with his thumbs before moving forward and kissing her cheeks, 'come on, let's walk back to the house' he said to her softly. They turned and headed back along the beach, Lauren put her arm around his waist, leaning into him as they made their way back to the house.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren and Joy were snuggled on the sofa together, wrapped in each other's arms. Joey kissed the tip of her nose 'It's time for me to go, babe' he whispered 'I should've left fifteen minutes ago'

'Stay…' she looked up at him, her deep brown eyes filled with sadness and unshed tears.

'I have to go back' he replied. She nodded and took a deep breath, blowing the air out through her lips. Trying to be strong for Joey. She stood up and held out her hands to him. He smiled and slipped his into them. She pulled him up and walked him to the door. Joey opened it and they walked out to his car. He turned and leant against the door as Lauren buried her head against his chest, the tears falling freely now. 'Babe don't. Please…..' he whispered softly, feeling the moistness of his own tears on his cheeks, this was very reminiscent, (and just as painful) of the day she left Walford three months ago. 'Hey, come here' he said. She lifted her head and he pulled her into a hug, burying his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent. 'Come on' he said taking a deep breath and pulling her gently out of his arms. 'Give me a kiss and tell me you love me' he told her firmly.

She reached up and kissed him, sliding her tongue into his mouth as her arms wrapped around his neck. He pulled her close to him, memorising the feel of her lips against his, her body pressed against his.

'I love you, Joey Branning' she whispered against his lips.

'I love you too, babe' he stole another quick kiss 'I'll call you tonight' he told her and let her go, turning away from her and got into the car, his heart sitting like a stone in his chest. Pulling the door shut behind him. He started the engine and turned to look at her one more time before he pulled away from the house.

He glanced in the rear view mirror, seeing her standing in the middle of the road watching him leave, he turned the corner and was gone from her sight.

She let herself back into the house and ran up the stairs, throwing herself onto her bed once she got to her room, hugging his pillow close to her. She could smell Joey on it and it made her cry harder.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

When she came down for dinner at 6:00pm, she had red eyes and a blotchy face, 'you'll see him again soon, darling' Tanya told her, running her fingers through her hair softly, as she hugged her gently before they sat at the table 'and you'll talk later tonight'

'I know' she said with a sniff 'I just….wish he could have stayed or I was ready to have gone back with him'

'You and Joey talked that through though, didn't you? He understands?' Tanya questioned.

'Yeah, course he does.' Lauren nodded 'he's disappointed, naturally. But he does understand. He said he'd be willing to move here if I decide not to go back to Walford' she told her mother with a smile. 'Actually, he said if I wanted to move to the North Pole he'd come too' she licked her lips and looked down at the plate of food in front of her 'I just, I know he's worried about leaving Alice on her own, despite what he says about her not needing him anymore. She's been mollycoddled her whole life and for him to abandon her now…'

'She has other people there to take care of her, and you know only too well you learn from your own mistakes' her mother told her, 'Alice will be fine, trust me'

Lauren looked at her and smiled, nodding her head 'There's no point worrying about it now is there, I mean we don't know what the future holds do we?'

'No, we don't but I can guarantee Joey figures in your future' Tanya told her as she sat down.

Lauren smiled at her 'I hope so' she replied.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren's phone rang as it did every night at 9:30pm. She answered it before the first ring had ended, just like she always did.

'Hello gorgeous' Joey's voice drifted through the speaker

'Hello handsome' she replied 'I'm glad you got home okay. Thank you for texting me'

'I didn't want you to worry' he told her softly 'Are you okay now?'

'Yes. I am now' she replied, laying her head on the pillow. 'Where are you?'

'In bed. I had an exhausting weekend' he teased her 'You?'

'In bed too' she replied with a smile 'much for the same reason. Although I wish you were here'

'I do too, babe. Listen. I talked to Phil and I can come back in three weeks if you want me to' he told her 'Maybe stay for a week, or if I come up the weekend before and go home the weekend after…I figure I could stay for around 9 days'

'Really? Phil said it was okay?' she asked him excitedly.

'Yep, he said it was okay'

'So, in three weeks' time, I get to keep you for 9 whole days?'

'9 whole days and 9 whole nights' he said softly.

'Imagine how much sex we can have' she giggled.

'Oh babe I am, believe me, I am' he laughed.

**AN: Poor Lauren and Joey having to be separated again after a wonderful weekend together. At least Joey's managed to get some more time off work and he'll be back to see her soon. The time is going fly by, right? R&R As always **


End file.
